You could backup your contacts and apps, and download a HTC Desire RUU (Rom Update Utility) for an older system software version, and use that to downgrade the phone's operating system (Make sure that the RUU that you download is for the carrier that you are using on the phone, or you will be stuck with a phone that is locked to a different network) . This is kind of like restoring an iDevice, and will erase all of your data, and will leave the phone how it actually was when it left the factory. Here is a list of all the RUU's for the HTC desire, make sure that you download the one that matches the current network, and radio/baseband of your phone (You can find your radio in system settings>about phone (or guess if you can't get to system settings, it shouldn't matter after the restore).

Download an image that looks like this:

" RUU_[Your Phone's Model]_[Your Carrier]_[your region]_[don't worry about what's after this].exe

Ex: RUU_Bravo_Vodafone_UK_1.19.161.5_Radio_32.36.00.28 U_4.06.00.02_2_release_126338_signed.exe

Run the executable on your compputer, and it will guide you through the process of restoring.

*ALSO* I would recommend rooting the phone after getting it running again, just so you can always backup/restore the system in case you ever have a problem like this again

Steven just did a search on Google and give these sites a try. Might work for you...

http://forum.cyanogenmod.com/topic/381-p...

http://www.eurodroid.com/2010/08/htc-des...

http://www.htcdesireforum.com/htc-desire...

Good luck to you.

Thank you oldturkey03. I had a look at the links you sent and there seem to be quite a few people in the same boat as me. HTC are behaving very badly over this, so much so I think I now should bag them out! I would advise anyone not to purchase a HTC Desire, HTC have no solution to the problem I identify above and none of the websites I have visited with the same problem reported have any solution and all say HTC USELESS USELESS USELESS dont buy one!!!!

The HTC download direct from HTC (not a ringer) caused the problem and they wish to have nothing to do with it I should have bought an iPhone.

I now have a HTC phone I have no idea what to do with. I will end up going to a mobile repair centre I guess and have to pay but HTC have abandoned me.

DON"T BUY A HTC DESIRE

DON"T BUY A HTC DESIRE

DON"T BUY A HTC DESIRE

DON"T BUY A HTC DESIRE

DON"T BUY A HTC DESIRE

Hi Chris, many thanks for taking the trouble to provide this information. I just have a question regarding your solution. The phone was unlocked when I purchased it and I put in my old phone SIM for Virgin until the credit runs out to then transfer to Telstra. Should I be looking for a Virgin RUU to download onto the phone and will the phone still be 'unlocked' after the download?

Many thanks again Chris

It should still be unlocked, being factory unlocked means that the hardware is always unlocked. I would download the Virgin RUU for your phone.