[Tutorial] Update.ICS | Frequently Asked Questions | 6th June - Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini, Mini Pro, Xperia Pro, A

Hello Everyone,
Lately, I have seen lots of confusion regarding the ICS update that is to be released by Sony.
I am writing this post to clear things up a bit. The table below will clear the most common area of confusion.
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How to Update your phone normally by Sony Method?
Go here for the list of SI numbers that are eligible for the update. Check your SI number by opening the back cover of your phone, and removing the battery and seeing the number underneath. In case this SI number matches with one on the list at Sony Website, connect your phone to the Computer, and you should be able to update using PCC or SUS.
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What are SI numbers and CDF numbers?
Phones of each region has a specific SI number as well as a CDF number. That is, to every SI number there is a corresponding CDF number.
To know your SI number, we need open the back cover of the phone, and remove the battery, and see the number underneath.
Corresponding to this SI number you have a CDF number. For knowing your CDF number, open the dail pad of your phone, and dial:
Code:
*#*#7378423#*#*
then go to Service Info > Software Info. There, the Customization Version is your CDF number.
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How to Force update your phone?
Sony releases the update for an SI number... This means that all phones having that SI number or the corresponding CDF number is eligible for the update.
The software PCC or SUS, reads the CDF number from build.prop file in your phone memory. If we can edit our CDF number and change it to one whiose corresponding SI has recieved the update, we can fool SUS or PCC and get the update.
For more info and a list of CDF numbers: Here
Thanks to dryhte
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Can I root my phone after Update to 4.0.4?
After Sony released the 4.0.3 update, DoomLord and team created an easy root toolkit for both locked and unlocked bootloader: Here.
However, the 4.0.4 update is immune to this method of root. So to root on 4.0.4 some workaround methods have been brought up.
Scenario I: You are in a rooted GB firmware. Here . Read Post #3 to know how the method works. Go Here to get a step by step Tutorial.
Scenario II: You are in ICS non rooted Firmware. Reported to work on the Xperia Pro: Here. Recommended only for testers and devs currently
Thanks to AeonWorld and puppet13th.
___________________

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How To Update your Phone using Flashtool?
Note:
To go to Flash mode, you need to switch your phone off, and connect it to your computer while you hold the Volume Down key. A Green light will be shining in the notification LED while you're in this mode.
To go to Flashboot mode, you need to switch your phone off, and connect it to your computer while you hold the Volume Up key. A Blue light will be shining in the notification LED while you're in this mode.
A. Download and Install Flashtool from: Here
[For sake of Convinence, we assume that the install location is C:\Flashtool]
B. Install the drivers.
For that, install PC Companion on your PC.
And go to C:\Flashtool\drivers and Double Click Flashtool-drivers.exe. Installation here after is self explanatory.
I. Put the downloaded ftf file to C:\Flashtool\firmwares folder.
II. Open up flashtool and click on the Thunder Icon at the Corner.
III. Choose Flashmode
IV. Select the firmwares you wish to flash. Make sure you check Wipe User Data, Wipe Cache and Wipe app logs buttons at the right side of the box.
V. Select Okay and follow the instructions.
VI. After the process is finished, remove the USB cable and reboot your phone.
You should be having the new firmware now

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How will Rooting on unrootable 4.0.4 works?
Explanation for someone who is in KG of Android School.
Explaination the method of root, as given by puppet13th.
This method involves the following steps:
1. Creation of a file [/data/local.prop] which lets specific applications access the root of your device. For this you need to have root access. That is, you create this file when you are on .58 or .62 or whatever, rooted GB firmware. So, for rooting your 4.0.4 you need to start from GB itself.
2. Updating to ICS, but making sure you preserve the file /data/local.prop. For this you update making sure you do not do a factory reset.
So after this step, you have a working unrooted ICS ROM, but with a gate which can allow su binary and superuser.apk to be pushed.
3. Now, you can push the su binary and superuser.apk files, into the phone memory through the gateway you created earlier.
Now you have a working 4.0.4 ROM with SU Binary and Superuser.apk planted. That is a rooted 4.0.4 ROM.
Head over to puppet's thread to get the required files and a step by step procedure of the above technique. Puppet's Tutorial going over your head? See here for another tutorial of the same procedure
______________
Explaination the method of root, as given by AeonWorld. [Note: This method is reported working with Xperia Pro (as well as Xperia Arc, Arc S, Neo, Neo V, and Ray), and should work with the mdpi devices too. In case it doesn't work and you end up with a broken phone, you will need to flash some working firmware ftf on your device to get it working again] Recommended only for testers and devs currently
1. Update your device to ICS 4.0.4.
2. Download the Xperia Neo 4.0.3 ftf, and flash only the kernel in the package.
To do this, after selecting the 4.0.3 Neo ftf file in Flashtool, make sure the options of Flashtool look as follows:
3. Turn on Your phone, and you will see black screen, as the kernel doesn't match with the ROM. But ADB will work even then.
4. Run the DoomLord's Toolkit for root, and it will work with the 4.0.3 kernel, and SU binary files and SuperUser will be pushed to the phone memory.
At this stage, you have a "not working" device with a rooted 4.0.4 ROM and the 4.0.3 Kernel.
5. Again flash only the kernel of 4.0.4 ROM from the 4.0.4 ftf for your device (Using flashtool as you did before)
At the end of this step, you will have a working 4.0.4 Rooted ROM with the 4.0.4 kernel.
Go to AeonWorld's thread (for Xperia Pro) to get the required file and more information.

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Bonus Section
All links in post at one place:
1. List of SI numbers by Sony. http://talk.sonymobile.com/thread/38377?tstart=0
2. Force updating your Phone. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1382018
3. Rooting .
a. after you have updated to 4.0.4 http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=26805796 and
b. when you are on rooted GB Build http://forum.xda-developers.com......post26914104
4. Flashtool Information and Download. http://androxyde.github.com/
Other Relevant Links:
5. ICS Update Discussion Thread. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1690704
6. Tutorials | Firmware | FAQ | First Aid. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1568792
(You can find ftf files here too)
7. Link to ftf file for official ICS Update.
Download the ftf from the following links:
Xperia Mini Pro:
SK17i: Here
SK17a: Here
Thanks to Jozinek
Xperia Live with Walkman:
WT19a: Here
Thanks to davidcmc
Xperia Mini:
Xperia Active:
Xperia Ray:
ST18:Here
Xperia Arc S:
LT18:Here
Xperia Neo V:
MT11:Here
Xperia Neo:
MT15:Here
Xperia Arc:
LT15: Here

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Awesome info mate...thanks....

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Nice post, but you have to change "Unlocked" to "Locked" and vice versa on the table

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Svartehjerte said:
Nice post, but you have to change "Unlocked" to "Locked" and vice versa on the table
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oops.
Thanks.

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I dont use .the box ticked disable vertication checked
And all my ics 4.0.4 work perfect in fact to perfect
Plus one golden rule to flashing is take sim card and memory card out
Before flashing .then you have no probelms

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jasonvoor said:
I dont use .the box ticked disable vertication checked
And all my ics 4.0.4 work perfect in fact to perfect
Plus one golden rule to flashing is take sim card and memory card out
Before flashing .then you have no probelms
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Never had problems, even though I have always flashed with SIM and SD inside.
Sent from my Xperia Live using xda premium

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To OP
Please add info : if user want to use my rooting method,do it before running any update.
Thanks.
Sent from my ST17i using Tapatalk 2

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puppet13th said:
To OP
Please add info : if user want to use my rooting method,do it before running any update.
Thanks.
Sent from my ST17i using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay Master.

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Info added about rooting by puppet's method to thread #3.
Thanks,
Rick
Sent from my SK17i using XDA

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Nice thread. Should be a sticky. Well done :thumbup:

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BanorBhai said:
Nice thread. Should be a sticky. Well done :thumbup:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, bro.
Banor bro.
What's the meaning of your name? Does it mean monkey brother? Cool name.
Good Day,
Rick
Sent from my SK17i using XDA

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DragonClawsAreSharp said:
Thanks, bro.
Banor bro.
What's the meaning of your name? Does it mean monkey brother? Cool name.
Good Day,
Rick
Sent from my SK17i using XDA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Banor means
The meaning of Banor come may come from a craft, such as the name "Brewster" which refers to a female brewer. Some of these trade-based family names may be a profession in a different language. This is why it is essential to understand the country of origin of a name, and the languages used by it's family members. Many names like Banor originate from religious texts such as the Bible, the Bhagavadgītā, the Quran, and so forth. Often these surnames relate to a religious sentiment such as "Favored of God".

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shprakash said:
Banor means
The meaning of Banor come may come from a craft, such as the name "Brewster" which refers to a female brewer. Some of these trade-based family names may be a profession in a different language. This is why it is essential to understand the country of origin of a name, and the languages used by it's family members. Many names like Banor originate from religious texts such as the Bible, the Bhagavadgītā, the Quran, and so forth. Often these surnames relate to a religious sentiment such as "Favored of God".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Awesome. . I thought something completely different.
Thanks,
Rick
Sent from my SK17i using XDA

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DragonClawsAreSharp said:
How will Rooting on unrootable 4.0.4 works?
Explanation for someone who is in KG of Android School.
Here I will explain the method of root, as given by puppet13th.
This method involves the following steps:
1. Creation of a file [/data/local.prop] which lets specific applications access the root of your device.
2. Updating to ICS, but making sure you preserve the file /data/local.prop. For this you update making sure you do not do a factory reset.
So after this step, you have a working unrooted ICS ROM, but with a gate which can allow su binary and superuser.apk to be pushed.
3. Now, you can push the su binary and superuser.apk files, into the phone memory through the gateway you created earlier.
Now you have a working 4.0.4 ROM with SU Binary and Superuser.apk planted. That is a rooted 4.0.4 ROM.
Head over to puppet's thread to get the required files and a detailed step by step procedure of the above technique.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I dont get it about the /data/local.prop??
I have checked mine and it already have local.prop in /data/local.prop...
Arrrghhh...I have messed up my brain...can you explain how to root 4.0.4??

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Till-Kruspe said:
I dont get it about the /data/local.prop??
I have checked mine and it already have local.prop in /data/local.prop...
Arrrghhh...I have messed up my brain...can you explain how to root 4.0.4??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Turning on my pc again to help you. Wait. I will come back soon. .
Thanks,
Rick
Edit:
Okay, So here's what you need to do.
Go to http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=26914104#post26914104, and download the file called Xperia-ROOT.zip as uploaded by puppet.
Then extract it, and run the file 01-local-prop.cmd. It will ask you to connect your phone to the PC. Do it when prompted. Make Sure USB debugging is checked "on", and turn on the screen and then continue.
The batch file 01-local-prop.cmd will now try to replace the /data/local.prop with a new one. For that, it will ask for root permissons from Superuser, and Superuser in turn will ask you. So you will have to allow. (That's why you turned the screen of your device on).
When the batch run is complete, you have the necessary local.pro in /data.
All this you do when you are on a rooted .58 or .62 or whatever GB firmware.
Then, you wait for Sony to release the update.
Once Sony releases the update, you update using PCC or SUS or Flashtool, but you must make sure that you do not factory reset. That is you preserve the edited local.prop.
Once the update is done you will be running a 4.0.4 ROM which is unrooted.
Now run the file 02-push-root-files.cmd from the zip file puppet gave. Follow the onscreen instructions, and the batch file will push superuser and the SU binary files thus giving you root.
At the end of this step, you will be running a 4.0.4 ROM with root.
Okay, I typed a lot. Read it and you will understand. And if you still don't ask me again. I will try to help. And obviously you can ask master Puppet13th and I am sure he will help you too.
Good Day,
Rick
Sent from my SK17i using XDA

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Awsm dude..a detailed explaination certainly help many..
Sent from my WT19i using xda premium

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DragonClawsAreSharp said:
Turning on my pc again to help you. Wait. I will come back soon. .
Thanks,
Rick
Edit:
Okay, So here's what you need to do.
Go to http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=26914104#post26914104, and download the file called Xperia-ROOT.zip as uploaded by puppet.
Then extract it, and run the file 01-local-prop.cmd. It will ask you to connect your phone to the PC. Do it when prompted. Make Sure USB debugging is checked "on", and turn on the screen and then continue.
The batch file 01-local-prop.cmd will now try to replace the /data/local.prop with a new one. For that, it will ask for root permissons from Superuser, and Superuser in turn will ask you. So you will have to allow. (That's why you turned the screen of your device on).
When the batch run is complete, you have the necessary local.pro in /data.
All this you do when you are on a rooted .58 or .62 or whatever GB firmware.
Then, you wait for Sony to release the update.
Once Sony releases the update, you update using PCC or SUS or Flashtool, but you must make sure that you do not factory reset. That is you preserve the edited local.prop.
Once the update is done you will be running a 4.0.4 ROM which is unrooted.
Now run the file 02-push-root-files.cmd from the zip file puppet gave. Follow the onscreen instructions, and the batch file will push superuser and the SU binary files thus giving you root.
At the end of this step, you will be running a 4.0.4 ROM with root.
Okay, I typed a lot. Read it and you will understand. And if you still don't ask me again. I will try to help. And obviously you can ask master Puppet13th and I am sure he will help you too.
Good Day,
Rick
Sent from my SK17i using XDA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Update using PCC and SUS does not make factory reset right??? Only flashtool does right???