HTC seem to be very close to completing the Ice Cream Sandwich Android 4.0.3 update for the HTC Sensation. An official OTA (Over the Air) ICS update for the HTC Sensation was leaked, and it looks like it might be a beta version of the final update that HTC will release officially. This means that the official release date might be very close at hand, which should get a lot of people excited. The update comes with Sense 3.6 instead of Sense 4 which might disappoint some people, but this might change with the official update.

The leaked update is not a proper RUU and hence is not flashable directly, but XDA developer rmk40 has very generously and very quickly released a rooted version of the update, flashable from ClockworkMod recovery, which you can download and flash on your HTC Sensation right away, following this simple step by step guide.

Read on to find out how to install the 3.32.401.3 ICS update on your HTC Sensation.

Compatibility

This ROM and the guide below are compatible only and only with the HTC Sensation. It’s not compatible with any other device. Check your device model in Settings » About phone.

Warning!

The methods and procedures discussed here are considered risky and you should not attempt anything if you don’t know exactly what you are doing. If any damage occurs to you or your device, including a bricked, non-functional device, we won’t be held liable. You have been forewarned!

Pre-Installation Requirements

  • Rooted HTC Sensation with Clockworkmod Recovery installed.
  • Sufficiently charged battery, at least 50% is recommended.
  • This procedure will wipe all your apps, data and settings (but it will NOT touch your SD cards, so don’t worry about those). Backup your Apps and important data — bookmarks, contacts, SMS, APNs (internet settings), etc. This Android backup guide would help you.

How to Install 3.32.401.3 Update on HTC Sensation

Update: the post has been updated, with new step 11 taking care of flashing of bootloader required to make the Sensation boot with ICS Rom. For those who have already flashed the ICS rom below and are stuck with phone not booting, download file from step 1 and do step 11 (11.1 to 11.5). For those who haven’t anything yet, simply follow the full guide as said. Both step 1 and step 11 are very very important!!

  1. Important! You need have the latest bootloader — meant for the ICS — in order to get your Sensation to work/boot. You should visit this page to get the boot file (or called firmware file: PG58IMG.zip). You got to check your CID and MID using the tools given there and then download the PG58IMG.zip file from the many versions listed there, choosing one which matches your phone’s CID and MID. It’s a little bit tricky, but it’s just plain with-patience reading of all the info there, so do it carefully and nicely. After you’ve downloaded the PG58IMG.zip for your phone, proceed to step 2 below, you will be using the PG58IMG.zip file in step 11 below. (Just FYI, the PG58IMG.zip files available for download there are listed in post #2 there, while how to check your CID and MID is given in post #1 there.)
  2. Download the Ice Cream Sandwich Rom file → Download Link 
  3. Transfer the downloaded zip files from step 1 and step 2 to the SD card on the HTC Sensation.
  4. Turn off the phone.
  5. Start Clockworkmod recovery by simultaneously pressing and holding the Volume down button and the Power button. From the resulting HBOOT menu, press Volume down to select the Recovery option and press the Power button to activate it. In recovery, use Volume buttons to navigate and Power button to select.
  6. [Optional] Perform a Nandroid Backup of your existing ROM, so that you can always restore it from recovery if something does not work out with this rom. To perform a backup, select Backup and Restore –> On the next screen, Select Backup again.
  7. Select “wipe data/factory reset”, then select “Yes” on the next screen to confirm data wipe.
  8. Now select “install zip from sdcard”, then select “choose zip from sdcard”. Scroll to the update file on the sdcard (from step 2) and select it.
  9. Now confirm installation by selecting “Yes – Install ______.zip” on the next screen. The update will start installing.
  10. Important!. Do not reboot/restart the phone. instead, Power it Off. After the installation is complete, select “go back” and then Power Off the phone.
  11. Flashing the PG58IMG.zip bootloader/firmware file (from step 1):
    1. Now is the time to flash the bootloader/firmware file from fastboot mode. Boot (start the phone) into bootloader mode to install the PG58IMG.zip bootloader/firmware file you downloaded in step 1. For this, press and hold Volume down and hit Power key, hold the Volume Down key until bootloader screen shows up.
    2. Now select fastboot to enter fastboot mode where the phone will automatically check for the PG58IMG.zip file on sdcard and on finding one, will ask you to whether Update the phone with it.
    3. Select Yes when it asks to update the phone. And watch it as it readies your phone for the treat called Ice Cream Sandwich.
    4. After the PG58IMG.zip has been flashed, rebooting the phone should be fine. Btw, some users have reported that only after they flashed the PG58IMG.zip 2 times, their phone booted successfully. So, don’t be shy of flashing the PG58IMG.zip file again if required.
    5. After it’s done, simply select the Reboot option from the bootloader mode itself to restart the device.
    6. (It’s very important that you downloaded the right PG58IMG.zip file in step 1 above from that page linked there. There is also a method to create a custom PG58IMG.zip file particularly for your phone so that it works with charm, and for that, you can see the guide there titled as “How to edit the android-info.txt File via Windows”. Do this and you’ll get a cusotm PG58IMG.zip file which you can use in step 11.1 to 11.5 above. once again, read everything carefully and on’t make silly mistakes and you’ll be fine. blame HTC for such complicated procedures, we love ya Sammy!)
  12. Well, it should work perfectly okay now but in case it doesn’t, do let us know.

Your HTC Sensation is now running Ice Cream Sandwich Android 4.0.3 with HTC’s Sense UI on top, pre-rooted but otherwise untouched. If you do try it out, share your thoughts on your experience in the comments below.