Want HTC Sense UI (HTC Desire ROM) on Your Nexus One? Ok, no problem.

It was inevitable, that someone would port the Sense UI enabled HTC Desire ROM over to it’s sibling, the Nexus One. One thing not predicted, was how quickly it was done.

Thanks to Paul at Modaco, the Desire ROM is available for download and can be installed on any rooted Nexus One.

A word of warning though, this is a very Alpha build (no not even Beta yet), so it is a bit glitchy. But if you want to try it out do the following (if you haven’t already done so):

I. Root the Nexus One
II. Flash a Recovery and Load the Custom ROM
(In the second procedure, just make sure to use the Modaco Sense UI ROM from our Downloads section instead of another one).

Enjoy, leave your feedback! How do you like it? Think there is a point to buying a Desire now?

Thanks Modaco!
Thanks Breakthecycle2!

45 thoughts on “Want HTC Sense UI (HTC Desire ROM) on Your Nexus One? Ok, no problem.”

  1. Hi,

    Firstly THANK YOU.

    Cant wait for the final release. It would be great if you could give a little more details about glitchy 🙂

    1. SSA,

      Welcome 🙂
      Glitchy in that there isn’t too many things in specific, more like letters stay on the screen a bit longer than normal, slow to respond occasionally, have to tap twice to get a button to work, just things in general etc ya know? It’s actually a great build for an Alpha I must say.
      Can’t wait for some stable releases soon 🙂

  2. @Anyone

    Just rooted and flashed a recovery image and loaded the HTC Desire ROM. All done without any issues however when i switch my phone i am not going past the start up screen which says HTC quietly brilliant. It just stays there.

    Any ideas? ANYONE 🙁

    1. SSA,

      What solves most issues:

      Boot into recovery, wipe data, then reinstall the ROM. (And with this ROM in particular, do NOT Wipe AFTER loading the ROM, do it before then apply the ROM).
      Good luck!

  3. @TheUnlockr

    Thanks. Just re did everything and its working. Now another issue. My SD is detected in the phone (as when i go into sd card it says unmount SD card) and on the PC (i hear a beep every time i connect) but i cannt access it from the PC. Ive tried different cards to see if that was the issue but it wasnt. Would appreciate if you could help me with this aswell.Thanks for your support.

  4. Honestly from the way you guys talk about it I was expecting way worse lol. its actually not that bad as far as speed/stability go. Or maybe it feels that way if your used to running sense on the g1/mt3g… besides all that HTC really steped their game up on this one… sick Rom can’t wait for a release ver.

  5. This build is very usable, irregardless of ALPHA OR BETA. This is a very solid build!!!

    A few things still don’t quite work like sending messages while on WIFI. But very minimal non functioning tasks compared to all the stuff you get with SENSE. I didn’t realize how much I missed it until I now have it back.

    I rooted my N1 just for this build and have not regretted it considering it should only get better from here forward. MODACO is the bomb!!!

    Recondo

  6. i agree i ran it for about a day or so and everything seemed to be running fine the only thing that i seemed to have an issue with is when someone was calling while i was already on a call instead of a beep it was more like a high pitch sound that kinda hurt my ear but other than that very solid built

  7. The ROM is PERFECT, no issues at all. I could just imagine how the BETA version will be. The only thing is that when its booting up, it does take time to load up from the “HTC quitely brilliant” screen, SO BE PATIENT. Didnt need to wipe again and load again, JUST BE PATIENT lolz.

  8. Just noticed that FLASH does not work in the camera app. Unlocker, is it possible to add the WIFI tether on top of this ROM? Thanx

    1. ElDuro911,

      To be honest, I have never gotten the WiFi Tether App to work properly on my Nexus in the first place, so not sure if it will work on the new ROM (but probably not). I’m sure Modaco will add it to his stable version of this ROM when he comes out with it though.

  9. Works great! Onoy down side is that when I connect my N1 using the USB cable to my pc, it will not ask me to mount it. Hope this gets fixed on the Beta version.
    Loving the SenseUI

  10. TheUnlockr,

    From what I noticed, WFi Tether did not come with the new ROM. I did however have the apk of it and simply installed it through linda file manager and it works perfectly fine. I have the “wireless_tether_2_0-pre2_eclair.apk”. Obviously when on “3G” the internet on my laptop is pretty faster than on edge. Let us know if it works for you as well…

  11. TheUnlockr,

    Oh and another thing that I almost forgot, if you do try out the WiFi Tether apk I told you about, I noticed that every time you open it, it asks for you to install the update. I did that once and then the Wifi Tether wouldnt work. So now all I do is hit “NO” to that update install and keep going on my merry way to using the tether app.

  12. Hello Unlockr or Any Who,

    Someone can answer me if this ROM is able to go default mode of the Nexus One using this HTC Desire Modaco ROM?

    For example: I have installed the Hero Rom on my current MyTOUCH 3G and i can go back to default having some sense ui things from the Hero Rom but using my default rom.

    i just love the way the 3d app screen on the nexus would see…
    i would love the black the notification bar on desire
    And I’m tire of the bottom sense ui phone bar.

    Please if someone Know Let me know

  13. I did everyting but my phone won’t bootup, I just see HTC Quality Brilliant on the screen, it won’t pass that it will stay that all day! any help please?

  14. for some reason when i flashed it it worked fine but after i rebooted it was just a bunch of force closes in a row.. anybody know whats up?

  15. tried to use new desire rom now phone says screen locked and drag down to unlock but won’t let me and track ball keeps blinking need help fast.

  16. I thought I did which one am I to wipe data/factory reset, dalvik- cache, battery stats or rotate settings.Thanks to android back up and I kept taking out the battery I was able to get phone back working.

    1. James,

      You need to put in the APN. Goto the Mobile Network settings then APN,, click menu Add APN and put in T-Mobile’s information. Save it then select it. All done.

  17. @Theunlockr The Desire Sense UI is awsome! No problem loading it on my N1 thanks to you! but dang it eats up some internal memory .. I only have 112mb left out of 200 and something. Have you heard any thing about partitioning SD card for more internal memory good or bad?

    1. Surviven6802,

      You can do that and setup Apps2SD no problem, I would recommend having a Class 6 card though if you do that so when you use the apps they are slow.

  18. Unlockr, I’ve downloaded this rom and I’ve be trying to figure out how to set up apps2sd and can quite get it. I’ve tried to find it in forums but no luck, I have nexus one using the Modaco sense Rom, can u please help me?

  19. installed…however, it seems to be stuck on an endless the htc start-up loop and will not go to the homepage. Any suggestions? I performed a wipe before installing the rom. Thanks

    1. David,

      That happens occasionally with new ROMs. Just reboot back into recovery rewipe and reflash the ROM. If that doesn’t work format your sd card, put the rom back on it (since itll be erased by the formatting), wipe then reflash it.

  20. hey unlockr my google maps navigation isnt working. i open maps, type in address then navigate and it loads the correct directions and route, but at the bottom just keeps saying searchng for gps….HELP!!!

  21. I want to root a nexus one and load HTC sense but would rather pay someone who knows what they’re doing to do it than mess it up myself. Anyone offering this?

    Jamie
    (London)

  22. OK so I have a theory lemme know if you agree….I wiped then reloaded the rom, didn’t download any apps or updates and went straight to navigation ni problem. Did maps update to newer one in market, then the error I had before. Is it possible the rom is not compatible or having a problem with the newest version of maps?

  23. i had done everything above but except 2 things i didn’t do backup and also the wipe so what happened is i got stuck on htc logo no flashing loading indication for more than 30 mins so i removed the battery & powered on again then it was stuck on nexus boot logo i can’t since i have no backup no chance of restore so i followed the steps to rollback to shipping rom from this url http://forums.t-mobile.com/t5/Operating-System-Software/How-to-restore-your-Nexus-One-to-shipping-Rom/td-p/292051 finally i got nexus rom back. again i tried to flash desire rom now i am following each and every step right i have backup & also wipe but still i am getting stuck in nexus boot logo. CAN ANY ONE HELP ME PLEASE

  24. Help after I loaded the desire rom on my nexus one I am not able to connect to the inter unless I use wifi. I can make call receive text message. I put it back to the orignal rom and everthing works I am on T-mobile I check the network setting and it shows T-mobile. But I can’t connect when I load the desire rom. Please help.

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