Get the 8107 update on your Focus through Zune [Homebrew]

While we were the first to bring the forced method for the latest Windows Phone v8107 update to light, we did caution at the method, as using 3rd party tools has the potential to do undesirable things to your phone.

Step forward a few weeks, and with more worldwide carriers slowly releasing 8107 to devices, U.S. carriers are holding true to form by not having approved the update yet (if ever). Fortunately, there’s a solution for some of us. Similar to a method that was widely used to upgrade U.S. phones to NoDo (and 7392), all you need to do is change a simple registry key. For starters, you need to be dev and interop unlocked (if not, the WindowBreak method works well). From there, use your favorite registry editor and flip HKLM\System\Platform\DeviceTargetingInfo\MobileOperator to a different mobile operator that is delivering the update to that device. For the Samsung Focus 1 on AT&T, that meant changing ATT-US to ROG-CA (for Rogers, a Canadian carrier). Once you have you valid registry key entered, pop your phone into Zune, and check for updates. After you update your device, be sure to change the registry back to the initial value, to assure that you receive any targeted updates in the future.

As for other devices, with the removal of the “Where’s my Update?” section on the Microsoft site, it’s anybody’s guess as to who is receiving the 8107 update. If you are, drop your device and carrier in the comments, and we’ll be sure to update the article so that others can update their phones via this same method. It doesn’t look like unlocked phones are having the updates pushed yet, so simply clearing the key doesn’t work quite yet.

As a refresher, the 8107 update doesn’t add any new features. but it does fix a variety of bugs (with the “disappearing keyboard” bug fix being the highlight):

• Updated the Carrier data configuration database
• Updated Radio Interface Layer, SMS & SIM drivers
• SMS & Contacts “bug” fixed
• Updated the Updater Service
• Updated the Internet Sharing Security Policy
• Updated the HowTo Application
• Fixed the Location bug where it shares your information without your knowledge in certain core apps.
• Updates to Zune & the Pictures Hub
• Updates to the Default Zune Tuner configuration
• TCP IP stack updates
• Updates to the MSHTML parser for IE9
• Updates to the Maps & Search functions
• Updates to UI framework driving the phone (Splash or UIX as some call it)

Since this is still an unofficial, unsanctioned way of updating, we add the usual try-at-your-own risk disclaimer. Simply put, Mobility Digest isn’t responsible if you break your phone or have any undesired results.