UPDATE: Orange HTC Hero users now getting Android 2.1 update

We’ve just had a brief flurry of emails from users of the HTC Hero bought locked to the Orange network, suggesting the first part of the Android 2.1 update has just hit their handsets. If you’re on Orange and have been a little frustrated by the lack of an OS update for your Hero, check now and you might be in luck. Change the date on your phone to trigger a new check.

Happy days are IMMINENT and possibly even currently downloading for Orange Hero users. Although, remember, this is only Part One of the two-part updating process.

g2 touch android 21 update

So that only leaves owners of the HTC Hero who bought the phone through Three without any sign of an update from Android 1.5, if we remember correctly. Any Orange users in the house able to corroborate these reports of the start of 2.1′s arrival?

Related posts:

  1. Orange users launch HTC Hero 2.1 update Facebook page
  2. Three, Orange and T-Mobile dragging their heels over Hero 2.1 update
  3. UPDATE: Android 2.1 “Part Two” upgrade launches for T-Mobile G2 Touch users
52 Comments
July 26, 2010 by Gary C in Firmware, Handsets, News, Operators

52 Comments

  1. Reply
    Dougster
    July 26, 2010 at 4:14 pm

    Got the first part installed Gary.

    I should have taken some images but no camera to hand and I couldn’t halt the process once it had started.

  2. Reply
    Gary C
    July 26, 2010 at 4:22 pm

    It’s OK, I understand these are exciting times :)

  3. Reply
    Dougster
    July 26, 2010 at 4:24 pm

    I may need to lie down now.

  4. Reply
    Still waiting
    July 26, 2010 at 4:38 pm

    Did not work for me… (Devon, UK)

  5. Reply
    Chris
    July 26, 2010 at 4:48 pm

    Put your date forward by a year.. this is only part 1 of 2.

  7. Reply
    James
    July 26, 2010 at 5:12 pm

    Just put date forward by a month and 30 seconds later I got a prompt to download the update! I nearly passed out with shock! Lets hope part two is ready soon and this isn’t just a way for Orange to shut us up for a few more weeks!

  8. Reply
    Ben
    July 26, 2010 at 5:17 pm

    Putting the date forward one month worked for me too – after two or three seconds it connected to the 3G network and the download screen popped up. You can ‘Download Now’, ‘Download when I connect to WiFi’ or ‘Remind me Later’.

    Being at work I choose the WiFi option, so it’s just showing as a pending download in the top left corner.

    Happy days!

  9. Reply
    En
    July 26, 2010 at 5:21 pm

    First update came through fine for me by forwarding date by a year!

  10. Reply
    cokey
    July 26, 2010 at 5:55 pm

    got mine to update no probs ,just hope second part comes in the same time frame as unbranded update came, come on 2.1 lets be havin ya.

  11. Reply
    Ben
    July 26, 2010 at 6:06 pm

    Put my date forward by a year, and by time i returned to the home screen, my phone was telling me that an update was available.
    There is not a lot of difference, just a button to check for updates. however it did delete the data from my 3g monitor which i use to tell me how much data I can down load and I thought it deleted all my emails but that was just due to me settings downloading the last 30 days of emails and i set the clock a year ahead! Stupid me. I had a few issues with updates form the android market not downloading, but a quick restart sorted this out.

    Now on build version 2.73.61.92

    os 1.5 …. for the time being. roll on 2.1

    Ben

  12. Reply
    ali
    July 26, 2010 at 6:13 pm

    got the update! Hoorah! Now stuck on HTC Splash screen on boot… What do I do? safe to remove battery and restart??

  13. Reply
    shawa2
    July 26, 2010 at 6:20 pm

    can someone please confirm the new build number… i had the update but the reboot was slow, my new build number doesn’t match the one on HTC website… Thanks!

  14. Reply
    Vikky
    July 26, 2010 at 6:21 pm

    Moved date to 2011 and connected to WiFi. Received update screen within 30 seconds. Took around 1 minute to download the entire update pack and another 3-4 minutes to install the update after reboot. First boot after update was slower than normal. No changes to Apps or Data were affected.

    NOTE: Reboot after update wasn’t normal for me. The phone stopped responding at HTC logo during start-up for really really long time. So I had to pull out the battery and restart the phone- after which the phone worked normally. Might not be everyone’s case.

  15. Reply
    cokey
    July 26, 2010 at 6:57 pm

    does any one know how long the original hero 2.1 update took to come out after first update? went to htc site but neither has date of when they come out.

  16. Reply
    uin
    July 26, 2010 at 9:03 pm

    On 3, now running 2.1 thanks to the gold card trick. Worked a treat!

  17. Reply
    cokey
    July 26, 2010 at 10:36 pm

    i think orange will roll out 2.1 on 1st of august hopefully sooner but it was about two weeks for unbranded heros so fingers crossed :)

  18. Reply
    Tom
    July 26, 2010 at 10:54 pm

    At long last, were half way there. Just changed the date on my Hero and ive received the first part of the update.

    The question now is. Would this have happened if there was no facebook group?

  19. Reply
    Dave
    July 27, 2010 at 12:00 am

    Just installed part one – I had to upgrade to the .66 update first, then the prompt appeared immediately, even before I had set up wifi.

    Seemed to hang on the HTC logo as mentioned above but whilst writing this post it has continued ok and looks good.

    Impatient for part two now especially as I will be out of the country for a week from next Tuesday, I hope it comes before then!

    • Reply
      Thanks Dave
      July 27, 2010 at 8:42 am

      “Just installed part one – I had to upgrade to the .66 update first, then the prompt appeared immediately, even before I had set up wifi.”

      Done the little .66 update when worked fine!

      Woohooo

  20. Reply
    usbrit
    July 27, 2010 at 6:16 am

    OK, messed up, went back to turn on wifi without selecting any option and now don’t see the message screen, what do i do to get it back!!?

  21. Reply
    Jonny Pioww
    July 27, 2010 at 11:20 am

    Yeah had to use an XP machine to get the Feb ROM upgrade cos it kept failing on Windows 7 but then it worked like a charm, immediately prompting me to get the latest update without changing any dates. The first OTA is only 3.1MB too so you can download it on your data tariff now worries rather than waiting for wifi.

    Can’t see any difference with this though and I should imagine it’ll be a while before we see any sign of the next upgrade.

  22. Reply
    m
    July 27, 2010 at 11:55 am

    it works, put the month forward to December and it downloads, i find this strange :-/

  23. Reply
    Ian Jones
    July 27, 2010 at 12:25 pm

    Had to update the phone to the .66 ROM from February before I got the prompt to upgrade. Look forward to part 2 becoming available.

  24. Reply
    Disgruntled 3 Customer
    July 27, 2010 at 3:56 pm

    3 said we would get the update “mid to late July.” I’m going to give it ’til the end of the week and then do the gold card trick too…

  25. Reply
    Oranger
    July 27, 2010 at 5:46 pm

    Tried putting it forward a year no joy – put it forward a month and bang straight in.

    • Reply
      Dougster
      July 27, 2010 at 6:31 pm

      Information: statement from HTC on Hero Android 2.1 delay

      Please see below the following statement from HTC in relation to the delay on the HTC Hero 2.1 Android update for Orange customers:

      “We apologise for the delay in Orange Hero customers receiving their Éclair update. Testing the update across European markets took longer than anticipated. However, we hope to receive final approval by the end of the week and Orange handsets should start updating from next week.”

      To be attributed to a HTC spokesperson

      This from the Orange Newsroom

  26. Reply
    James L
    July 27, 2010 at 7:46 pm

    Mine updated this morning, but the phone now keeps force closing many of the HTC Sense apps. Hopefully the second part of the update will fix this!

  27. Reply
    Dan
    July 28, 2010 at 9:52 am

    Part 2 of my update just came through. o.O I’m installing it now, will let you know how it goes.

  28. Reply
    OMG!
    July 28, 2010 at 11:46 am

    Install part 2 update NOW!.. Do a check update now!

  29. Reply
    Kelvin
    July 28, 2010 at 12:27 pm

    Downloading Part 2 now. Stupidly excited.

    • Reply
      Kelvin
      July 28, 2010 at 1:28 pm

      Patience is the key on this one – took about 30 muntes start to finish. Having it my first impression is that it’s great. A bloody BRILLIANT bonus is that it kept virtually everything – texts, email settings, apps etc. Only thing I’ve lost is my customised scene. No big problem – that’ll take all of 2 minutes to set up again.

      Well done HTC on a well designed update.

  30. Reply
    Nick
    July 28, 2010 at 12:43 pm

    Just downloading mine now, good times..at last Orange

  31. Reply
    chris
    July 28, 2010 at 8:08 pm

    hi just got it great well done htc

  32. Reply
    David
    August 3, 2010 at 9:59 pm

    I got the first update at the end of last week by using the change-the-date trick to make it check. However, I’m still waiting for the actual 2.1 update. No amount of changing the date or clicking the “check now” button works – it still says “your phone is up to date” humph. When will it come? I’ve seen a few things online suggesting other UK Orange users are getting it, but I think they must be confused with the first update :(

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