Tag Archives: root

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

Nexus One boot before Blackrose install

How to install Blackrose on Nexus One using GNU/Linux

Android, How to, Nexus One, , , , , , , , ,

Introduction

Blackrose is a powerful software. It can do a lot of things, but its most useful ability is to resize internal storage. On Nexus One you have to do so in order to install ROMs with greater size as… Ice Cream Sandwich (I’m preparing a guide).

Disclaimer

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

Installing is safe, but using Blackrose can wipe out all your data. Proceed at your own risk. Make sure you backup all your data before proceeding.

Prerequisites (my situation)

  • pc with Ubuntu Linux 12.04 64bit
  • adb installed and working
  • USB cable
  • Nexus One data:
    • rooted device (probably not necessary)
    • ClockworkMod recovery installed (probably not necessary)
    • unlocked bootloader
    • HBOOT-0.35.0017 (other hboot are supported, see documentation)
    • RADIO-5.08.00.04
    • S-ON

Needed software

Configure udev

If you get this output, you can skip this section:
$ fastboot devices
HT9CWP81XXXX fastboot

In an Ubuntu environment you cannot access these devices without root user.

If you think it’s annoying (as I do), you can configure udev daemon in order to set appropriate permissions on these device files.

It’s sufficient to create a new udev rule file in /etc/udev/rules.d path:

# cat /etc/udev/rules.d/65-n1.rules
# Nexus One
SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ACTION=="add", \
ENV{ID_MODEL}=="Android_1.0", \
ENV{ID_MODEL_ID}=="0fff", \
ENV{ID_VENDOR}=="htc__Inc", \
MODE="0666"

There is no need to reload any daemon because the rules get reloaded any time a change in rule files occurs.

Step by step guide

  1. phone must be on
  2. phone debug mode must be enabled (check Settings -> Applications -> Development -> USB Debugging)
  3. connect phone to pc with USB cable
  4. unpack archive
    unzip -d blackrose_120421 blackrose_120421.zip
  5. run Blackrose (package contains an executable binary for GNU/Linux)
    cd blackrose_120421
    chmod +x Blackrose
    ./Blackrose

Example output

First use (installation)
-------------------------------
| Nexus One BlackRose 120421 |
| Made by Lecahel(XDA-dla5244) |
| Dok-Do belongs to KOREA |
-------------------------------
Do at your own risk
Don't flash any unsigned radio image
Don't flash eclair rom(eg.EPF30), if you are SLCD Nexus One user
If you are using sense rom, please install HTC Sync and turn off that now
Your N1(USB Debugging ON) should be connected to PC
If your device has already installed latest BlackRose, it will enter into BlackRose menu
Otherwise, BlackRose will be installed or updated automatically
* Waiting for device...
* daemon not running. starting it now *
* daemon started successfully *
* Getting device information...
0 KB/s (2 bytes in 0.040s)
0 KB/s (6 bytes in 0.039s)
0 KB/s (10 bytes in 0.040s)
0 KB/s (1 bytes in 0.040s)
* Installing BlackRose
1707 KB/s (4194304 bytes in 2.399s)
566 KB/s (26172 bytes in 0.045s)
970 KB/s (131072 bytes in 0.131s)
< waiting for device >
sending 'recovery' (4096 KB)... OKAY
writing 'recovery'... OKAY
sending 'hboot' (512 KB)... OKAY
writing 'hboot'... OKAY
rebooting into bootloader... OKAY
* BlackRose has been successfully installed if your HBOOT changed to 7.35.5017

Then your next execution will be as this:
./Blackrose
-------------------------------
| Nexus One BlackRose 120421 |
| Made by Lecahel(XDA-dla5244) |
| Dok-Do belongs to KOREA |
-------------------------------
1 Apply stock/custom BlackRose
2 Disable HBOOT flashing protect
3 Uninstall BlackRose
4 More information
5 Exit
Please make a decision:

References

After-root Android tip #2: AdFree

Android, , , ,

This is part of a series of posts about useful apps to use on a rooted Android device.

AdFree
AdFree removes most ads in the browser and other apps. It does this by nullifying requests to known host names in the system hosts file.

Tested version: 0.7.7

What problem does it solve?
Do you hate advertisement as I do? Get rid of it!
Technically speaking your hosts file will be modified to make apps requests to ad servers go to null pages.

The Good

  • speed up browsing (less data to load)
  • save some bandwidth
  • save you from unwanted flashing banners
  • prevent accidental touch on ads

The Bad and the Ugly

  • many free apps programmers live with ads, so make your choice
  • some apps will recognize the hack and they will refuse to start
  • you have to start the app to check for updates
  • you’ll find some black area in apps where there would have been ads
  • sometimes in apps, you’ll get spinning gif waiting for banners