HTC has been rolling out the official Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich over-the-air (OTA) upgrade to both the HTC Sensation and the HTC Sensation XE.  Unfortunately, the delivery of the much-awaited upgrade seems to be being done in stages.  The first to receive the upgrades are HTC customers in certain regions in Europe.  Those who live elsewhere will have to wait for a bit.  But, will they have to?

XDA Developers member MrT69 has taken the OTA update into his own hands and assembled it into a bootloader-flashable package.  This means you won’t need to wait for the upgrade to be delivered to you over the air.  You can download it and upgrade your phone manually.

The ROM is for the European release (3.32.401.105) of ICS from HTC.  So, if you’re from another region and you intend to flash this update, proceed with caution.  It doesn’t matter what firmware version you’re on–the update will bump up your phone to ICS.  You don’t even need a rooted phone, nor do you need custom recovery.

But, there’s more.  This bootloader-flashable package is pre-rooted, includes Superuser and BusyBox, and comes with ClockworkMod Touch Recovery.

So, if you’re getting impatient about the ICS upgrade for your HTC Sensation, read and follow our step-by-step instructions on how to upgrade your HTC Sensation/Sensation XE to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich via the bootloader.

Requirements

• HTC Sensation or HTC Sensation XE
• For safety, backup all important personal data from your phone.
• Charge your phone’s battery to at least 70% to make your phone last throughout the entire procedure.
• Disable system tools such as antivirus software and firewall programs before proceeding.

Warnings

• This guide is only compatible with the HTC Sensation and HTC Sensation XE. Flashing the update on another device may give undesirable results.
• Some users complain of dysfunctional Alarm and Ringtone when they updated their phone.
• Take note that any damage dealt from your use of this guide will be place your sole responsibility. Follow our step-by-step instructions at your own risk.

Flashing Instructions

1. Download the appropriate PG58IMG.zip for your specific HTC phone:
   • Click here for HTC Sensation (without Beats Audio) (PG58IMG.zip, 480.4 MB)
   • Click here for HTC Sensation XE (with Beats Audio) (PG58IMG.zip, 472.9 MB)
2. Connect your phone to the computer via USB cable.
3. Locate the PG58IMG.zip file on your computer and copy this file to your phone’s SD card.
4. Unplug your phone from the computer.
5. Turn off your mobile phone completely.
6. Reboot your HTC Sensation/Sensation XE into bootloader mode. You can do that by pressing the Volume Down key while tapping the Power button. Keep the Volume Down key pressed until bootloader loads.
7. Your phone will search for any available update packages and will automatically detect the “PG58IMG.zip” file. The phone will also ask for permission to update. Confirm the action to begin flashing the update on your mobile phone.
8. After installation is complete, reboot your phone and enjoy Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich on your phone.

No sweat, eh? Congratulations! You have successfully updated your HTC Sensation/Sensation XE to the latest Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich by flashing the OTA update through your phone’s bootloader.