FOTA Unbrick - Q&A - Xperia Arc Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

I'm looking to find out more about FOTA unbricking. There is a dev thread of that here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1126358
but since it's dev I won't ask questions there.
Some phones seem to accept OTA updates with unlocked bootloaders and others don't. I have a few Sony phones and FOTA unbricking is great. I see some other phones don't seem to have FOTA unbricking. What is done in this case to restore the phone? Flashing and fastboot are surely common to all Androids, no?

Related

2.3.4 on rooted r800x

ive unlocked and rooted my US verizon play back when it first became possible, never relocked it. but now im looking to get the 2.3.4 update on it and cant find where to start. i saw the nordic rom but nothing about it says i can use it on my r800x without brick. im hoping to not have to unroot/update/reroot again. what ever happened to being able to update before any ota via roms and CCW. i dont even know why i have CCW on my play anymore because ive found nothing flashable.
thanks
Dominus11 said:
ive unlocked and rooted my US verizon play back when it first became possible, never relocked it. but now im looking to get the 2.3.4 update on it and cant find where to start. i saw the nordic rom but nothing about it says i can use it on my r800x without brick. im hoping to not have to unroot/update/reroot again. what ever happened to being able to update before any ota via roms and CCW. i dont even know why i have CCW on my play anymore because ive found nothing flashable.
thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are versions of the FreeXperia ROM that work for CDMA (R800x), and the older DoomLord kernel works on the R800x also. Those are flashable. Further, R800x does not have a 2.3.4 update yet. We are just now getting 2.3.3 via the OTA.
As to applying the update, I would wait until there is a verified flashtool file that can be applied for those of us who are unlocked. Otherwise the process is to relock (and wipe the device) update, unlock (wiping the device again), and then load root binaries back in via a temp-boot of CWMR (ClockWork Mod Recovery).
I'm not particularly certain what you are referring to as CCW. As far as to update before any OTA via ROMs, well that is when you have leaks. There haven't been leaks for the firmware or updated stock bits for us. SE is usually pretty close to the vest on their stuff.
So, are you complaining because you didn't bother to look or search out any of this information, or are you pissed because you don't have leaks and a larger dev community for your device? We have a niche device. The R800x is an even further minor variant amongst an already niche device on a hardware manufacturer that largely doesn't get much attention. The devs are doing some awesome work considering what they have to work with. Further, all this development isn't free. It costs somebody time and often money. Have you chipped in to the cause? Bought one of the devs a beer?
I fail to see any legitimate issue you are bringing forth.
im sorry i did not mean to come off as ungreatfull or complaining for that matter. i appreciate the dev work done with this device and couldnt ask for a better community. what i am merely looking for is if there is something clear cut and easy before i start trying the not so stable roms on my daily driver. also by ccw i meant cwm somehow haha (clockworkmod incase i didnt abbreviate right again).
further proving my point, through all the threads that i had read before posting this i had gotten the general assumption that 2.3.4 was available in the US and therefore for my device. i started this thread to clear up such issues as this before bricking my device by trying anything i may have though was CDMA US, (whether country or region matters i dont know yet?) because my device version is less popular i need to be very cautious in that matter.
i thank you for your help, and would appretiate further clarity and help navigating the forum for my device.
Dominus11 said:
im sorry i did not mean to come off as ungreatfull or complaining for that matter. i appreciate the dev work done with this device and couldnt ask for a better community. what i am merely looking for is if there is something clear cut and easy before i start trying the not so stable roms on my daily driver. also by ccw i meant cwm somehow haha (clockworkmod incase i didnt abbreviate right again).
further proving my point, through all the threads that i had read before posting this i had gotten the general assumption that 2.3.4 was available in the US and therefore for my device. i started this thread to clear up such issues as this before bricking my device by trying anything i may have though was CDMA US, (whether country or region matters i dont know yet?) because my device version is less popular i need to be very cautious in that matter.
i thank you for your help, and would appretiate further clarity and help navigating the forum for my device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Heh, my apologies for rolling out the lynch mob there.
Truth is, that I do believe that 2.3.4 is available (in minor amounts) as an OTA in North America (R800i on AT&T I think, maybe Rogers or otherwise as well, not sure). However there is no 2.3.4 release yet for Verizon/R800x. We just got 2.3.3 on OTA, and haven't found a verified extract for the OTA yet so that we could just get the system.sin and kernel.sin to flash only using fastboot/flashtool/etc.
Basically you have to be very careful if you are using the R800x that you don't flash using a R800i or R800a firmware or release. If you flash only the system.sin from the package, you would be fine (but with no phone calls, data, etc), but if you did the entire restore, you would brick your phone due to it modifying the TA/Bootloader in ways that are very unfriendly to the R800x.
As far as CWM (ClockWork Mod Recovery), don't try and flash it to your system. It is included in the FreeXperia ROM (CM7 variant), but otherwise just use the fastboot boot image edition if you want to flash things in and not have to do it by hand. If you need a link to that, I can probably dig it up for you. Just don't flash it ^_^
As far as Rom Manager by Clockwork, on this phone it is largely useless at the moment unless you have FreeXperia as your ROM. If you are stock, you don't need it.
thank you very much I will be looking around and doing one further research on this. I will also be posting back into this thread if you don't mind staying subscribed. Hopefully we can bring out the true potential of these devices in short time

[Q] GSM GN Update to 4.0.4

Hi guys, sorry for not reading through all the threads in here, just a quick question, my friend has a GN, GSM version, yakju'whatever' build, he wants to update to the latest 4.0.4 firmware, and he couldnt get the OTA update, can he updates his GN via the guide posted here?
http://www.theandroidsoul.com/update-galaxy-nexus-to-android-4-0-4-using-odindownload-mode/
thanks for the guiding!
I wouldn't recommend using ODIN to do it. I really prefer to recommend downloading the images and flashing them with Fastboot instead.
What martonikaj said. The fastboot option is imo better. Have a look at the general forum, there's a thread about upgrading from other versions to yakju with an excellent guide by efrant.
Just in case - don't follow the guide in the OP but look at the links in efrant's signature, he posts quite a lot in that thread.
but my friend is not a tech geek, and not familiar with fastboot command either. Thats why i'm seeking a more friendly guide to help him update. I think via odin will be easier?
Oh, and i need to confirm that does this method will work on his phone? i dont want getting him stuck at a bootloop or brickking his device, that will make me feel bad and guilty... thanks for the reply though!
"Teach a man to fish...." you know the rest.
Download ADB and Fastboot (you don't need the whole SDK), and learn how to do these simple things yourself. If the only way you're mentally capable of handling flashing your phone is with ODIN, then you should not be flashing your phone. Toolkits and 1-click methods populate XDA with bricked phones and "omg halp" threads.
You don't get to have it both ways. Either you wait for the OTA and be patient, or you take the time to learn how to modify your phone to do what you want it to do.
It'll take you 30min to read a few guides and install some software, and you can put your phone on "yakju". Your brain (and phone) will thank you.

[Q] Rooting 4.0.2.A.0.62, already have an unlocked bootloader. Help?

So folks.
Just reached home with my new phone, an Xperia Arc S LT18a, I believe.
I'm stuck with this firmware 4.0.2.A.0.62 which doesn't seem to have an easy way to get a custom ROM on it yet. Sucks that I didn't read about this before heading out to buy a phone.
I went through one of the guides here and had the bootloader unlocked via Sony's website. However, the rooting instructions didn't work. So searched further and realised the issue.
I've seen people say that they've done it by downgrading to a lower firmware, rooting it and then upgrading the firmware OTA again. Then I read that upgrading firmware OTA with an unlocked bootloader will brick my phone. So I'm not trying that.
Any help on how I could go about this? Simple step by step instructions would be very welcomed, since I don't really know much about flashing various bootloaders and ROMs considering I just bought the phone.
Thanks for reading!
there are many threads relating to this problem....plz read & search before posting....
Well i believe the answer to your questions lie in this Thread ...
'
Hope i was helpful ....
Flash the zip I attached to this post through CWM. That's it, you're rooted
Thanks!
I used the above zip file, but from a different thread and got it working. Cheers to both of you!
RamEsRock said:
Flash the zip I attached to this post through CWM. That's it, you're rooted
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How can I have CWM on my phone? If I will flash phone I will do it with rooted ROM not stock. For me it's closed circle because I need root'ed device to load CWM on it, and I need CWM to make root.
Can someone explain me it?
szaebb said:
How can I have CWM on my phone? If I will flash phone I will do it with rooted ROM not stock. For me it's closed circle because I need root'ed device to load CWM on it, and I need CWM to make root.
Can someone explain me it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
With unlocked bootloader, one can easily flash a custom kernel with CWM, then flash the zip file.
Try reading this http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1304634
jason statham said:
So folks.
Just reached home with my new phone, an Xperia Arc S LT18a, I believe.
I'm stuck with this firmware 4.0.2.A.0.62 which doesn't seem to have an easy way to get a custom ROM on it yet. Sucks that I didn't read about this before heading out to buy a phone.
I went through one of the guides here and had the bootloader unlocked via Sony's website. However, the rooting instructions didn't work. So searched further and realised the issue.
I've seen people say that they've done it by downgrading to a lower firmware, rooting it and then upgrading the firmware OTA again. Then I read that upgrading firmware OTA with an unlocked bootloader will brick my phone. So I'm not trying that.
Any help on how I could go about this? Simple step by step instructions would be very welcomed, since I don't really know much about flashing various bootloaders and ROMs considering I just bought the phone.
Thanks for reading!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I when I rooted my locked bootloader ARC S, I read "The Nutshell Arc Guide" at http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1304634
Before you start messing with the phone, please see the entire guide first.
Hope I can helped.
Cheers

ROOT Questions?

This is going to be my first sony phone im unfamiliar with the process of rooting on sony, how do root and get recovery? I believe the zl getting should be boot unlocked.
AW: ROOT Questions?
I don't have a sony neither, but I think you have to unlock the bootloader, then you can "install" root.
There are some threads in the development section, just take a look!
cheapshot789 said:
This is going to be my first sony phone im unfamiliar with the process of rooting on sony, how do root and get recovery? I believe the zl getting should be boot unlocked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The best thing to do would be to go through as many (read ALL) the post on all the ZL threads. However, here's the primer.
The first thing to do would be to check if your phone has an unlockable bootloader. Unlocking the BL will allow you to flash custom kernels and ROMS. If you are coming from a Samsung phones, most of them already have their BLs unlocked, so this step might be new to you. Do know that you potentially lose your warranty once you unlock your BL. However, there is a way to relock it. Also, there is a debate about losing Bravia Engine 2 once you unlock you BL.
But, you dont need to unlock BL to root your phone. The dev krabappel2548 has released recovery and root for devices whose BLs cannot be unlocked. You'll find info about it in the Original Android Dev Section.
Might seem overwhelming, but its not. Read up for a couple of days and you will be all set.
Hope this helped.
Yea I have been reading the threads just got a little confused, thanks.
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda app-developers app

[Q] New to the HTC community

Hi, really a newbie to HTC, only played with LG, motorola, samsung and sony phones before, so some of the terminologies here are quite alien to me. So please help answer some questions of mine!!!
1. Is there a way to ensure that after unlocking BL, rooting, S-off, i can still go back to stock for warranty purposes? Because what i found out so far is that i can do this with s-off, but doesn't that mean i have to s-on again?
2. What can be done to unbrick the device? Like flashing of stock firmwares, and i don't quite understand the meaning of RUUs.
3. Some of the links posted here brings me back to posts found in the M7 forum, does it mean the methods work for both devices?
4. Is the ADB interface really an important aspect for modding HTC phones? I've never actuqally used one for the other brands though but it does see to be mentioned alot more here.
nickrule1896 said:
Hi, really a newbie to HTC, only played with LG, motorola, samsung and sony phones before, so some of the terminologies here are quite alien to me. So please help answer some questions of mine!!!
1. Is there a way to ensure that after unlocking BL, rooting, S-off, i can still go back to stock for warranty purposes? Because what i found out so far is that i can do this with s-off, but doesn't that mean i have to s-on again?
2. What can be done to unbrick the device? Like flashing of stock firmwares, and i don't quite understand the meaning of RUUs.
3. Some of the links posted here brings me back to posts found in the M7 forum, does it mean the methods work for both devices?
4. Is the ADB interface really an important aspect for modding HTC phones? I've never actuqally used one for the other brands though but it does see to be mentioned alot more here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Best advice I can give you is read all the stickie threads in General and have a good read around the development section, it seems like mumbo jumbo at first, but once you've read and learned the logistics... It'll come easy :good:

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