Tag Archives: mimmi

How to install Android Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) on Xperia X10 Mini Pro

Android, Featured, How to, Xperia X10 Mini Pro, , , , , , , , ,

ICS on Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini Pro!

Let’s be honest: starting from zero it’s a huge process, but it’s possible.
This procedure is a bit complicated and needs some skills.
I can do (and I did) almost everything from GNU/Linux.

Prerequisites (my starting point)

  • a full backup done: you’ll lose your phone data
  • the phone must run the stock image.
    Latest 2.1.1.A.0.6 SE firmware is required for bootloader unlocking procedure.
    If you are running an unofficial ROM, you can check my preferred way to restore stock ROM. Firmware 2.1.1.C.0.0 is reported to work, too, but I can’t confirm it
  • phone must run baseband M76XX-TSNCJOLYM-53404015
  • a pc running Ubuntu Linux 12.04 64bit (32bit is reported to work too)
  • adb installed and runnable from the pc
  • standard USB cable

All needed software

  • FlashTool
    I used flashtool-0.8.0.0-linux.tar.7z
    You can find this tool on its official page http://androxyde.github.com/Flashtool/
  • msm7227.7z, see xda forum for download links
  • a bash script I wrote to run msm7227 from GNU/Linux. Download here
  • kernel image
    I used U20_nAa-ics-04_2.6.29.6-nAa-ics-04.ftf
    Download links on Google Code official pages. Kernel file names for our device start with “U20” string and they contain “ics” string as well
  • MiniCM9 ROM
    I used MiniCM9-3.0.3-mimmi.zip
    Download links on Google Code official pages. Be carefull, we have a device with codename “mimmi”
  • Google Apps (also known as gapps)
    I used gapps-ics-20120317-signed.zip
    You can find download links on goo.im official pages. Pick gapps for “ics”

What you’ll get

A super clean phone (no data and crappy bloatware).
One of the most recent mobile operating system: Android Ice Cream Sandwich.
All the goodies provided by CyanogenMod: the ROM I installed is MiniCM9.

Everything working great: camera, wifi etc. (I admit I have to check tethering…).

Disclaimer

I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE IF YOU BRICK / RUIN YOUR PHONE IN ANY WAY.
BASIC COMPUTER SKILLS REQUIRED.
PROCEED WITH CAUTION.

The instructions are provided only to show how reached my goal.
Please follow them at your own risk. Stop if you are not in my same situation.

Procedure summary

We have basically 3 things to do:

  1. unlock bootloader
  2. install custom kernel (suitable for ICS)
  3. install ICS ROM + Google Apps

Without an unlocked bootloader, you can’t install a custom kernel.
Without a custom kernel, you can’t install ICS.

0. Copy needed files on the phone

As pointed out by Fabian in his comment, it’s safer to copy the files you’ll use at the end of the procedure when your phone is still fully functional.

So, connect the device to your pc, use it as an external storage and copy these files on the sdcard

  • MiniCM9-3.0.3-mimmi.zip
  • gapps-ics-20120317-signed.zip

1. Unlock bootloader

I presume you’re starting from the very beginning, so I think you have a locked bootloader.

To fix this situation you’ll need some software:

  • msm7227.7z
  • my script: msm7227_semc.sh

This is the most difficult and dangerous step. The risk is that the phone get bricked. Be careful.

Probably you should read the full story here. There are reported some incompatible situations. If you have never unlocked your bootloader, probably you can go on as I did.

The software you downloaded is written for Windows types of operating systems.
I rewrote the cmd script and made a bash script.
Many kudos to xda forum user “the_laser”, I just translated his work.

You have to follow these steps:

  1. unpack archive in a new folder
    $ 7z x -omsm7227 msm7227.7z
  2. uncompress and copy my script in the same folder
    $ mv msm7227_semc.sh msm7227/
  3. connect the phone to an USB port
  4. enable debug USB on the phone itself
  5. run the script
    $ cd msm7227/
    $ ./msm7227_semc.sh
    see my output

2. Install custom kernel

You have successfully unlocked your bootloader and now you can now install a custom kernel.
You’ll need flashtool utility and the ftf image file containing the kernel to flash and the recovery software.

  • FlashTool
  • kernel image file

Follow these steps:

  1. uncompress and untar flashtool
    $ 7z x -oflashtool flashtool-0.8.0.0-linux.tar.7z
    $ tar -C flashtool -xf flashtool/FlashTool-0.8.0.0-linux.tar
    $ rm flashtool/FlashTool-0.8.0.0-linux.tar
  2. launch FlashTool, it’s a java tool with a simple GUI
  3. drag on the main window the ftf file
  4. follow the instructions
  5. at the end the program will tell you that the phone will reboot. It’s not true, so disconnect the USB cable
  6. wait 5 seconds
  7. boot the phone and repeatly push the back button to enter recovery menu.
    ClockworkMod must be installed and should come up.
    You must see nAa kernel logo.
    if CWM menu doesn’t appear you must retry with a reboot (at the moment the phone is unusable)

If you find yourself in troubles, keep in mind that everything can be repaired with a full system restore through SEUS.

3. Install MiniCM9 and the Google Apps

We are almost at the end.
At this time you have an useless phone which cannot even properly boot.
It’s time to flash MiniCM9.

If you followed all steps, you are now in ClockworkMod Recovery menu.

ClockworkMod on Xperia X10 Mini Pro (nAa kernel)

On the step number 0, you should have copied the files on the phone’s SD card. It’s time to use them.
If you skipped that part, you can still do the job via Recovery:

  1. connect the phone to the pc
  2. choose “Mounts and Storage”
  3. choose the last item “mount USB storage”
  4. copy the files I mentioned
  5. umount storage from the pc
  6. choose “umount” from Recovery menu

Follow these steps:

  1. choose “wipe data/factory reset” than confirm
  2. choose “wipe cache partition” than confirm
  3. choose “Advanced” -> “Wipe Dalvik Cache” than confirm
  4. go back
  5. choose “install zip from sdcard” -> “choose zip from sdcard” -> find “MiniCM9-3.0.3-mimmi.zip” and confirm
  6. choose “choose zip from sdcard” -> find “gapps-ics-20120317-signed.zip” and confirm
  7. go back
  8. choose “reboot system now”

The first boot can be a little slower. I saw nAa logo, than CyanogenMod boot animation for about 5 mintes, than the first use Android wizard.

Conclusions

If everything went well we reached our goal.
I found that ICS for Xperia X10 Mini Pro is fast and stable.

You can always revert back with a full restore or you can just install a different ROM.

References

Best way to restore Xperia X10 Mini Pro stock ROM

Android, Xperia X10 Mini Pro, , , , , ,

I found that the only reliable way to restore a stock ROM on this phone is SEUS.

SEUS stands for Sony Ericsson Update Service:

Update your phone for optimal performance and get the latest enhancements. Regardless if you have the latest software, it is a good routine to run Update Service to improve software stability. Also, if you experience problems with your phone this may be solved by a software update.

In the real world this piece of software can be used to restore the stock ROM. It takes care to download everything you need from Sony servers.

It’s a Windows software that was easily accessible from sony site, but now it’s quite hidden in their pages.

The official page is accessible from here.

The direct url I found to download the software is this.

I hope it’s useful to you as it was to me.

HowTo: install ClockworkMod Recovery on Xperia X10 Mini Pro using GNU/Linux

Android, How to, Xperia X10 Mini Pro, , , , , , , , ,

Prerequisites

I can show you my situation, I can’t confirm that my guide is usable in different cases:

  • sim unlocked, stock Xperia X10 Mini Pro device rooted (I used my guide)
  • firmware 2.1.1.A.0.6
  • baseband M76XX-TSNCJOLYM-53404015
  • a pc with Ubuntu 11.10 64bit
  • fully functional adb (find more info here)

Disclaimer you must agree before you proceed

Please double check the requirements I wrote before you proceed and remember that:

  • I am not responsible if you brick / ruin your phone in any way;
  • some computer skills are required;
  • do a full backup of your data NOW, it’s not programmed, but you may loose them

Software requirements

CWMInstaller-Linux-v4.zip: download from here or from my mirror.

Do some backup before changing things

On your pc:
adb shell
on the device
# su
# mount -o remount,rw /dev/block/mtdblock0 /system
# cat /system/bin/chargemon > /system/bin/chargemon.original-backup

It’s time to get the job done

The package is done to allow anyone to easily install the whole thing, but I wasn’t able to use the script.
You can see what I did to manually achieve the result.

On your pc
$ unzip CWMInstaller-Linux-v4.zip
$ cd CWMInstaller-Linux/
$ adb push files/ /data/local/tmp

On the phone
$ su
# mount -o remount,rw /dev/block/mtdblock0 /system
# cat /data/local/tmp/recovery.tar > /system/bin/recovery.tar
# cat /data/local/tmp/busybox > /system/bin/busybox
# cat /data/local/tmp/chargemon > /system/bin/chargemon
# chmod 755 /system/bin/recovery.tar
# chmod 755 /system/bin/chargemon
# chmod 755 /system/bin/busybox
# rm /data/local/tmp/chargemon /data/local/tmp/busybox /data/local/tmp/recovery.tar

Done!
# reboot

Test it making a real backup

When booting your phone and when the “Sony Ericsson” letters appear (not the logo), press and release continuously the “back” button.
Once you are in the CW recovery, use the volume keys to navigate upwards / downwards, the “home” or “camera” button to select, the “back” button to go back.

Go to “backup and restore“, “backup” and wait at least 3 minutes (on an empty device).

Conclusions

Now you are ready to install some new ROMs on your device.

References

HowTo: install xRecovery in Xperia X10 Mini Pro

Android, How to, Xperia X10 Mini Pro, , , , , , ,
Update: I got ClockworkMod Recovery working on my phone, that’s a better choice.

xRecovery is a custom Android recovery system for all variants of the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10, including Xperia X10 Mini Pro. If you want to take it to the next level by being able to take and restore full backups, flash custom ROMs, manage partitions and wipe not just data but cache and Dalvik cache as well, you have to install it.

It’s similar to ClockworkMod Recovery which cannot be installed on SE devices.

Here the steps I used to install xRecovery on a Xperia X10 Mini Pro.

Prerequisites

  1. check your handset details via “Settings” – “About phone”
    • Your “Baseband version” must be M76XX-TSNCJOLYM-53404015
    • Your “Build number” must be 2.1.1.A.0.6
  2. check if you have root access (you can use Root check app)
  3. you need Android Terminal Emulator app (install from the Market or apk download here)
If you need to root the phone you can follow my guide.
If you need busybox you can install it with Busybox installer
Software requirements

Install
Unrar the archive and from your pc type:

$ adb push AAIS/ /sdcard/

Use install.sh via Android Terminal Emulator (root user):

$ su
# cd /sdcard/AAIS
# sh install.sh

Choose 0 or simply push “Return”
At the end (3-10 seconds) phone will reboot.

All done.
A good idea: make a backup
Enter recovery:

  1. power off phone
  2. when booting your phone and when the “Sony Ericsson” letters appear, press and release continuously the “back” button
  3. once you are in the CW recovery, use the volume keys to navigate upwards / downwards, the “home” or “camera” button key to select, the “back” key to go back
  4. choose “Backup and restore” – “Backup”
  5. reboot