So I decided to Force Update

[aphrophyre]

Since Verizon nor HTC has had any comment about the status of Windows Phone 7 upgrade scheduls, I decided to take the matter into my own hands.

Recently WPCENTRAL published an article on how to Force Update your Windows Phone to build 8107. The steps seemed easy enough, so I downloaded all the necessary files and prepared to take the plunge. If you are still hesitant to update unofficially through one of these tools that's ok, but with the future of updates seemingly in jeopardy and an easy way of rolling back your device through an official backup I see no harm in giving this a try.

Here is an overview of what the process involves:

• A phone already updated to Windows Phone 7 "Mango" (7720)
  • Your Trophy should have already gotten 7720 through official Zune update
  • You should have also received the radio firmware update through official Zune update
• Download of the .CAB update files for Windows Phone 7 (7740, 8107)
  • These two files are included in the zip file titled Force Update Package.zip
• Download of the .CAB update files that apply to your phones current OEM setup. (English, Spanish)
  • You can download these two files separately from the links provided in the tutorial
• Use of a tool that can force the update process and create official backups called UpdateWP.exe
  • Also included in Force Update Package.zip

Here are the steps you can take to ensure your forced installs successfully:

• Unzip Force Update Package.zip to somewhere simple to access
  • Root of your C:\ drive or your Desktop is preferable
• Connect your phone to your computer
• Close Zune if it opens
• Open a command prompt, and go to the folder where you extracted Force Update Package.zip
  • I'm not going to tell you how to do this, if you can't navigate a DOS prompt, either skip this or quit now
• Navigate to the \tools\x64 or \tools\x86 folder depending on your version of Windows
• Type UpdateWP.exe /list
  • This will confirm if your device is being properly recognized by the computer
  • It should list the manufacturer name, model name, version of WP7 installed, etc...
  • If you get any errors here, consult the WPCENTRAL forums, or try a different USB port
• If the previous step succeeded w/o any errors navigate back to the folder where you extracted the files
• Run WP7 Update Cab Sender.bat
• Choose option 'B'
• Sit back and relax as your phone creates a backup and then updates

Hope this all goes well for you guys.

[AtomicInternet]

I'll add my name to the list of success stories, and my keyboard stays firmly in place at all times now.  I was almost hoping it would brick so I was forced to switch to AT&T for the new Lumia 900, alas I'm still stuck here.

[erichon99]

I can also confirm that the force update worked for me.  Yea I'm switching to AT&T in 2013. One more freaking year with VZ after being a customer for almost 10 yrs.  Forgot to mention that the update indeed fixed the disappearing keyboard problem. 

[syncros9]

I also did the update, same as described above and it was a success- with one issue though. After forcing the update, I can call contacts and receive phone calls no problem, but the phone "app" will not launch. After you press the phone app on the home screen, the screen goes blank and then flashes back to my home screen. Anyone else having this problem. Otherwise, the keyboard stopped disappearing and everything else was rock solid. I chose to restore the phone to the previous setting, so that I could properly use the phone/keypad etc if needed.

Looking forward to this update, but I wish it was on a new device (like a Lumia 900) on VZ, but that will never happen. VZ is too caught up with selling data plans on the most "popular" devices that every other carrier released a year ago. Honestly, I've never dealt with such ignorant sales people at the VZ stores. I think my 4 year old knows more about how to use my Trophy than the sales people at my local store.

[aphrophyre]

I've heard about that issue before on some other message board. The only happens when you incorrectly install the preinstalled languages on the device and it leaves your phone is a non-standard state.

I would recommend undoing your update, and just waiting till the official VZW update comes out.

[syncros9]

That must be what happened, even though I took special care to check before the update and then after the update for the languages- and they matched exactly. I did restore to the phone to the previous state, and I'll just wait until the formal update is released from VZ- sometime in the next "6 months".

Thanks for the reply