[zwhirl]

These are the overly detailed (but hopefully newbie-safe!) steps, synthesized from various fourms and posts, that I followed to reflash my Samsung SPH-A900M using a PC running WinXP Home SP2. I decided to take the time to post this because, since early 2008, yours truly and an apparently growing number of other SPH-A900 users of Google Maps for Mobile versions 2.x.x have experienced severe software corruption necessitating a reflash (see thread1 thread2 thread3 thread4). I recommend sticking with GMM 1.6.4 or earlier versions on the A900/A900M. If you really want to try GMM 2.x.x the latest version is available here (h/t Makaval). Comments and feedback welcome.

DOWNLOAD & UNPACK

Hardlock Driver
hardlock downloads page
hldrv32.zip (4.8 MB)

see this Mobile Files thread for links to the following 3 files:

UPST 2.2.005
unipst.rar (10.5 MB)

unpack unipst.rar & pull out these 3 files (ignore everything else):
* UPST-FW.exe
* hardlock.sys
* w2k.fst

UPST DLL
Samsung_SPH A900.rar (181 KB)

bin flash file
A900M ==> SPH-A900P_ZF17.rar (25.2 MB)
A900 ==> SPH-A900_ZB12.rar (24.3 MB)

INSTALL

1. install UPST-FW.exe
2. restart
3. copy Samsung_SPH A900.dll to "C:\Program Files\InfoSOFT\Universal PST\Plugins" directory
4. install hldrv32.exe
5. restart
6. copy win2k.fst and hardlock.sys to "C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers" directory

you might need to use Command Shell to do this, if so:
copy the 2 files to C:\ directory as you normally would
Start > Run > type "CMD" > OK
if necessary, keep entering "cd.. <enter>" until prompt is "C:\>"
copy win2k.fst C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers <press enter>
copy hardlock.sys C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers <press enter>

7. restart

REFLASH

1. power off phone & make sure battery is fully charged before proceeding

2. put phone in emergency mode by holding down "9" button and pressing power (END) key
on main screen you should see:
DOWNLOAD MODE
Mode: Emergency
Post: USB

3. connect USB cable to phone & note COM# port used
Device Manager > Modems > SAMSUNG CDMA Modem > right-click > Properties > Modem tab

4. Start > All Programs > Universal PST
select Samsung A900 if necessary

5. Edit > Options > Port tab > select COM# you noted above > Apply
then click Software tab > Emergency (Including Preload) > OK

6. on the left hand side of window click on the "Software" icon
on the main screen under "Software File" click "Browse" & find the A900 bin flash file
SPH-A900p_ZF17.bin or sph-a900_zb12.bin as appropriate

7. Device > Connect

8. click "Start" button at bottom & when prompted for "Device Programming Code" enter your MSL
the following 3 "Areas" will now be reflashed:
* Code
* Resource
* EFS
Should take 30-60 minutes, if I remember correctly. Some users have to reflash their phone more than once.

9. reprogram phone # and MSID
##MSL#
edit > OK
NAM CDMA = [enter phone #] > OK
MSID = [try phone #, if calls won't go thru you will need to call Sprint for new MSID] > OK > DONE

10. Update Phone Software (Menu # 8 8)
do this twice on A900M: ZF17 > ZH03 > ZJ23