Hello everyone. First off I want to thank you all for all the great tutorials, software and assistance. I wouldn't even be trying this if it weren't for you all. I'm ready to run my first flash but I want to confirm a couple of things first.

I've read thru all the tutorials and posts here at "List of Firmware/Flashing guides and reference material, The newbie starter pack " I think XS++ is going to be the way to go for me (but I'm not 100% sure).

My goal is to unbrand my Rogers Canada w810i phone (although after looking at Vodafone Menu images Rogers doesn't change much).

I want to return the phone to it's factory generic setup, including:

• Removing the Rogers logos from the startup and shutdown
• Removing the Rogers music player and the menu (and have the right button connect to anything instead of the Rogers player)
• Removing the "Rogers Mall" button in the menu
• Removing any other Rogers crap on the phone

Then I want to:

• Allow and install flash menus
• Allow mp3's to be used a ringtones

I have downloaded and installed:

• XS++ v3.1 Darwin
• Sony Ericsson Update Service

I have read Rekol's excellent post "Step by step instructions for flashing a phone using only XS++" and it is what I intend to use to step me through things.

Note: another great tutorial is "Wally_Dogs Complete CID49 Red Retail W810 Guide" (see his terminology below)

Here are my phone details from XS++

Platform: DB2010
OTC CID: 49
EROM CID: 49
EROM Color: Red
Phone ID: W810
Region: Rogers
CDA: CDA102494/128 R5A
Firmware Version: R4ED001
EROM: n/a

Here are the questions:

1. What I am really not sure of is which firmware I should download (from http://www.iprotebe.cz/ ). I think I want a Generic Main right?

2. For the File System, I think I want and America_1 (I only need English) or is there a Genaric?

3. I have no idea what Custompack I want???? I see by the tutorial that I can just tick the Customize Box in FS++ and then select the correct Phone and CDA and Region and FS++ will take care of it. Is that the best way to go for a noob's first try?

4. Can anyone suggest a custom pack?

5. I also notice I'll need to have everything in the correct directory on the PC side before uploading and custom stuff i.e. to get the flash menu(s) uploaded I will need.... C:\XS++\files_to_upload\tpa\preset\system\desktop\flash\name_of_flash_file.swf A little direction on the proper naming and placement of files would help me here if you know where I could find it.

6. And lastly, I don't know how to figure out if all my choices will all be compatible with each other? In particular the Main and FS files.


I really like mattkun's "SE-NSE ModPack v1.0 FINAL" But that looks a bit advanced for my current comfort level.

My battery is charged to 100%, my GDFS is backed up, and I have an itchy trigger finger. I just need a little confirmation before I go for it. Thanks in advance.


BTW: I'm doing this all on a Mac with VMware running MS Windows XP - not that it matters but this sure is it wild!

Click to view attachment


Wally_Dog's terminology:

Unbranding: A process in which a Generic FS, a Generic MAIN, and a Generic Custompack in order to remove content added to the phone by your carrier (Cingular, Fido, Orange, T-Mobile, Rogers etc.) This process can also be said as "Debranding".

FS ( FileSystem ): This firmware file contains all the files that run your phone (Sound files, menu files, etc.) Every time you flash a new FS onto your phone, you will need to customize the phone, or you will experience an error.

MAIN: The Operating System (OS) of your phone. Without this, the phone will not run, and will not turn on. After a MAIN file has been flashed, the phone does not need to be customized.

Custompack (Customization, Custompack ): This is usually a directory that contains files the initialize, or activate, the phones FS. Without this, you will get an Error whenever you start up your phone. Every time you flash a new FS onto your phone, you must flash a Custompack. Flashing a new MAIN, however does not require you to flash a Custompack. However, flashing a MAIN and a FS at the same time will require a Custompack, because you flashed a FS.

Ok, so I have the following CID49 Main and FS files:

W810_R4EK001_MAIN_GENERIC_HN_RED49
W810_R4EK001_FS_AMERICA_2_RED49

Am I on the right track?

I also have the correct America_1 FS but it's and older version (W810_R4ED001_FS_AMERICA_1_RED49). Can I still use this with the newer R4EK001 Main?


I also found a CID50 Main but I don't think I can use a CID50 on CID49, correct?
W810_R4EA031_MAIN_GENERIC_HN_RED50.rar

Did it!! Up and running! One small probem... I can receive text message but sending them out gives and error message: "Sending failed. +1250XXXXXX Retry?" any ideas.

For the record I used XS++ as per Rekol's excellent post "Step by step instructions for flashing a phone using only XS++" and the following files:

W810_R4EA031_MAIN_GENERIC_HN_RED49.mbn
W810_R4ED001_FS_AMERICA_2_RED49.fbn
Plus Custpack: AMERICA_2 (CDA102555/107) ... ( directly from XS++)

I went step by step just as the tutorial showed and the whole process took about 10 minutes tops.

Thanks. Now does anyone have any ideas about the text message issue?

Bahahahaha!!! Found it. I had to set the service centre number.

> Messaging >Settings > Text message > Service centre

Be sure to prefix with the international "+" sign before the number.

Lolz,quand gigantic posts,i'm glad you flashed your phone.

Tks, I was freak'n and I wanted to be clear what I was doing.


I would like to upload some flash themes now. Can I just use FSX in XS++ and just upload the themes?

Yes you can use xs++ 3.1 go to FSX press START go to tpa/preset/system/desktop/flash and upload the flash themes you like.Then press SHUTDOWN and you're ok.

Thanks pikitsan, that worked great!

BTW -- many of the theme packs have a second ".thm" file that is intended to go into tpa/user/theme/file_name.thm

What does that file do?

The second theme .thm you put it to your phone to a folder (e.g themes).With these themes you decide what flash themes you want to have.

Ok, I'm a little confused now.

What theme am I looking at when I look at the main menu?? Am I looking at the .swf Flash theme or am I looking at the XXX.thm file?


Or do they both need to go in together?

Ok so I just open a .thm (theme) file by changing the .thm to .tar (or .zip or .rar works also) then unzip it and look at the resulting folder of files. --- BTW, this is pretty handy for pulling out elements that you like from a theme!! ---

Inside were all the images that make up the backgrounds for the themes. There is also an .xml file that defines the colors of menu items. There also tends to be a main .gif that ends up being the "Wallpaper".

There are no changes to the icons.

So my take on it, is that the .thm file (tpa/user/theme/file_name.thm) is responsible for background colors and fonts. But doesn't change the factory icons.

Therefore, the .swf (tpa/present/system/desktop/flash/file_name.swf) is used to change the menu icons.

Am I correct on this??