Firstly, moderators may move this to the appropriate section because it doesn't only cover firmware, but a general user's guide to getting around SE-NSE and finding the information you need to make the most out of your Sony Ericsson

DO NOT REPRODUCE ANY OR ALL PART, ANYWHERE OF THIS GUIDE WITHOUT DIRECT PERMISSION FROM ME - WIZAJ.

Thanks go out to diezil, qwerty12 and Mr. Thunderbird. My 3 modding mentors.
steadyontherem8, my fellow n00b helper, a great friend.
Special thanks to the experts on the list at the bottom of this guide for letting me put their names here

So what's this guide about?
Read above, newbie

I wanna mod my phone NOW! So where do I start?
Well, let me break it down for ya....
All SE phones are basically broken down into groups... Since this is a quickstart guide, I'll be defining terms very concisely....
You'll need to find out your phone's Platform, CID, EROM, Colour and Firmware version... for a start

CID is basically the protection system used on your phone, it determines the loaders used to break into it
Current CIDs in use by SE are 29/36/37/49/50/51/52/53
The most common CIDs are 36, 49, 51/52, 53
The most modifications that are available on SE-NSE can be applied to the above mentioned CIDs, apart from 53, which is still under research and development, but there are tools that work with this type of CID

EROM is Erasable Read Only Memory. This is the base part of the software which isn't flashed in normal update operations. It controls the flashing interface, the boot loader, etc.

EROM Colour:This "colour" defines what kind of phone you have.
RED Phones are typical retail phones
BROWN phones are phones used in development and testing
BLUE phones are the units that were assembled at the factory but never programmed with firmware/IMEI/GDFS

PLATFORM is the hardware 'chipset' used in the mobile you own. DB2000, DB2010, DB2020, DB3150 are the most common platforms, and DB2010 to DB3150 are supported by most free tools

FIRMWARE is the 'operating system' of your phone, it is divided into two parts; MAIN Firmware and FS (File System). The FS contains the system files that are required for operation of the phone itself, and the MAIN is the actual operating environment.

Now to find out this info, we'll use the basic SE moddin' tool, which is XS++ (download)
Where to get it?
We use The R&D Supersticky™
It's a topic made by Mr. Thunderbird
This topic contains all the links to all flashing programs and their guides, if applicable. Also, it'll be worth your time to look at A Compilation Of Links Across The Forum. That thread is a useful tool in removing your n00bness.

Download XS++ and Se Tool 2 for a start, most things on this forum are packed in RAR and ZIP files, so you'll need an archiving tool like WinRAR, or the free tool 7Zip. You'll need to install the USB Flash Drivers, read the respective general usage guides for each tool, and then profile your phone with XS++



Now, from that profile, we can see that my DB2010 W700i is CID 49 (EROM CID is what we pay attention to). It's a RED Retail phone, and it's running R1CA021 firmware

Once you have identified the phone, you'll need to see which modifications you can apply.
If you have a RED CID 36, 49, 52 then XS++ is your best flashing tool, if you have a BROWN 36, you can convert it to 49 through this guide. If you have a BROWN 49, then you'll need a service cable to use this guide

Also, SEFP is another good tool for CID 36 & 49, all of the links can be found in the The R&D Supersticky™

If you have a CID 52/53 and a newer platform, then your other best friend is JDFlasher. Both JDFlasher & SEFP are independent plugins for the FAR Manager application.

The first step to modifying a phone is making a GDFS backup, this is absolutely critical. Please DO NOT SKIP this step, it's covered in the XS++ General Usage guide, and also the Se Tool 2 Lite general usage guide

The second could be flashing the firmware you need. XS++, Se Tool 2, SEFP & JDFlasher can all flash firmware. You may select the appropriate tool according to your profile. The alternative is SEUS (Sony Ericsson Update Service) but it updates the CID on all DB2020s+ to CID 53, rendering the phone less moddable. It is safe for DB2010 and below.

After performing an FS flash, you do need to customise your phone. You do this by using custpacks. They contain languages and other important info. Most custpacks are embedded into XS++, but if you want to know more, or edit one of your own, then I strongly recommend you click here

Flashing and firmware guides are here
Firmware files can be found in here
Most firmware files can also be found here, here, or here
Some of the above website may require the use of Google Translate
You can also do a google search and include the '4shared' term to find firmware.
A sample google query is here
If you're having trouble flashing, you may post your problem here
Only after using this feature of course

Moving on to more advanced modifications, things such as Elfs, Acoustics, Menus, GFX and Camera drivers can all be found here
Be careful when installing those advanced mods and make sure that they're compatible with your phone.

The R&D thread contains works in progress, so you may look into them if you feel you are comfortable using items that are still yet to be finalized, but remember to read this first. You can also learn a lot from that thread.



DB3150 Quickstart coming soon.

Pinned!

This is great Wiza

this is really a gr8 idea....well done bro

finally finished huh! Nice work Wiza!

EDIT: Maybe you could add links to where to get XS and Setool 2 and whatnot

Thank you Iouri, Lynott, Thilina and Will
I have added the link Will

Nice guide, I say again and I'm 2nd on the list

Me, on 2nd on the list? I'm not that experienced

nice...keep up the good work wizaJ

Thanks steady, and nknwn, and thanks for allowing me to add your names to the expert list
btw, if anyone feels they know a particular phone or platform etc very well, and are willing to take noob PMs, they can send me a PM and I'll add them to the list

awsome!! must've taken u quite a while to do all this!! and this is exactly what we need for the daily n00b

Lol, so now Im not an expert anymore? Fine! Just wait till post 5000!

It took me about an hour
@Iouri
You are no mere expert

Alright man, your list, you decide who's who.

Somethings up with the status indicator thingies though, I think I messed something up

OOO! Can i be an expert!

ah thanks fer the honour lol!! but im no patch porting guru!! i can only do simple patches with winhex!! can i be an elf or elf installation specialist instead??

i got a k810 which is blue what should i do ????

Yes Will, you can PM me the missing details I should add though
I have corrected it thugz
Well Nick, PM your areas of expertise then =)

Can i join your expects list, i know pretty much most phones db2010 & db2020.

Thank you number1

put smartphone expert

EROM actually is Erasable Read Only Memory

BTW i dont have a K550i any more and im not an expert whatso ever
I dont even know how to bloomin' patch!
Well i do, but not very well

I will do that. Although I really would prefer if you PM'd


I thought the same, but was corrected, then someone else told me again it was Erasable, then another told me Extended and now you say Erasable


Well, what can you do then?

Nothing! Haha. im pretty much useless!
Seriously, i know my way round XS++, phones in general, specs for things, and a bit about FAQ with modding but nothing too advanced like MR T and The One and you

I'm not advanced
First post edited

Oh yeah, from now on, please, all expert list addition requests via PM only
Thanks

Ok i'm probably going to sound really stupid or repetitive, but can you use this software to unlock a k800i? Sorry if you are asked that all the time I know it must be really boring lol
Thanks

yes!!

Not if the K800 is CID 53 after you used SEUS

Wow 7000 views!!!

Anyway; expert list updated

Can I be a W810 expert preeeeeety please??? *sucks up to WizaJ*

EDIT didn't look at your post a few posts up ^^

Meh I did it anyway
Thanks.
But please guys from now on PM only.

is anyone in the forums helping out newbie mac users?
is there a quiet little corner where we talk quietly amongst ourselves?
it seems that all the mods/ debranding/ flash, etc. are dealt with in windows formats...
thanks

hey m new at modding my fone so cud ne tel me how to install vibrating(flash) themes, walkman skins,an menus.........plz need help immediately......

Try searching google for that, you WILL find your solution.

Nice Noob tuto...really useful for people like me...i used to mod my old Nokia 5110 and recently my Motorola E1ROKR, and now i want to learn more about SE since my auntie bought me one...i hope i can learn a lot and maybe even contribute to this forum in the future...

thanks...

Am I in the right place to ask?? go easy I'm an old noob ...I've been looking around an my head is hurting... I have a K750i cid36 red ...managed to work that out with the xs++ , I think I flashed it..or something..what I really wqant to do is debrand it and thats what I tought the xs++ would do....ummmmmm....how do I do it??? remember idiot speak would be much appriciated ....thanks in advance .....Gaz

thx man very helfull

http://forums.se-nse.net/index.php?showtopic=23459

uhmmm i have tried to customize acoustic, cam driver, flash menu, etc. but when i try to patched my w660, it didt work, because mostly in the web gives only patch for firmware R8BB001 whereas my firmware is R6AD001. so IF POSSIBLE i want to change my firmware to those common in the web, so the future patches would be easier.

my question is:
1. is it possible to change my firmware, if so which file do i need, the main, the fs, and the cda or only the main or i dont know..., thats why i m asking? and the process is it the same with patching with xs++ (same with flashing driver/acoustic) if it is different then could you tell me (a tutorial on this would be very great.

2. if changing the firmware is possible, could you direct me to the files i needed to download, the main firmware is easy to search (i've got it R8BB001) but the rest like cda (i'm indonesian btw), FS i dont know where to download if anyone could help me.

3. if IT'S NOT POSSIBLE to change the firmware so, any one can tell me what should i change in the patch file to be able to patch it with my old firmware.

4. thank you very much good sir/lady your reply will be very much apreciated.

You can flash the R8BB001 MAIN and probably leave your FS the way it is, or find the R8BB001 FS too. Either way, you can flash to change to a different firmware version, and you can use XS++.
The guide is below, just remember that you're flashing your phone not a K800
http://forums.se-nse.net/index.php?showtopic=23459

A GENERIC_LA MAIN and a APAC FS will do fine if you need to read/write English & Indonesian, and read Chinese (with default font only so far)

Enjoy.

Hi ppl im new here bt i got the basics locked down.about 2 days ago i flashed my k800 to a k810,evertthing was successfull bt is it just me who notices that battery life is exhuasted faster than usual?.i did the same thing with my brothers k750 to w800,and same thing with the battery life.any1 with an explination please let me know y

umm... what is the name of rest file for w660i if i'm using setool2 lite 1.07? where can i download it?

Hi! I'm new in the site, it's been fun reading all this stuff, but I'm completly lost! I've always liked modding stuff
(I already bought a housing/fascia and a plastic cover for the phone, hasn't arrived yet!), and I just got this phone, it's a w580i from ATT, and what I've read from people who "just got this phone" is that they screw the display and it ends up not looking so well. I'm a Sony fan, lol. I've modded my PSP, got my PS3 (no mods), and my Sony Bravia! I had a w600 before this but never modded... Ok, enough with my biography.

This is the most, step-by-step'ish guide I've seen for this, it seems that it has everything on it! But since I'm a newb in this, I want to ask some questions before I start messing with my phone:

1) I'm positive that this phone, the w580i, can be modded, but, does this guide works for it?
2) I really don't know where to start! I see in this guide and the guide for "General Usage - XS++ v3.1" that you need to install USB Flash drivers, but I can't find where are the drivers, nor how to do it, I've been searching the whole site!
3) Is there someone with MSN Messenger that has the time and/or patience to show me how to do this?

Right now I'm using a PC with WindowsXP, I read somewhere that it's better to do it with Linux, and I have a PC with Ubuntu, but it isn't currently connected, but I can if it's needed...

Anyways, I hope someone could teach me how to do it, because I'm really anxious to do it! And I hope I learn how to work with this stuff, so sometime in the future I could be helping others with this, I also hope I enjoy my stay here in this site, it seems that the community here is great!

Thanks everyone in advance!

Well, if you just very recently got your AT-T W580i, you're probably having a CID53 phone, which means it cannot be patched, but it can be debranded and certain parts can be modified, like the menus.

As the guide here said,


So you've got to go to the Research & Development section and download JDFlasher.
As well as FAR Manager, and install JDFlasher as a plugin for FAR. (JDFlasher, both test6 and test6add1, should be put in the folder "Plugins" of FAR Manager installation directory)

Then you search the forums for a guide on how to flash your phone using JDFlasher, CID53.
There should be quite a few of these guides around.

KrX thanks for responding! Ok, so now, how can I be certain if it really is a CID53? Do I need to install that USB Driver? I don't wanna mess it up!!! Thanks KrX!

edit: Update! I used the XS++, very scared, but did it! lol



Cingular? Everything on my phone says ATT... lol.

Update2: I have downloaded 2 files I think I'll be needing, if someone can tell me if it's true, they are:
W580_R8BE001_MAIN_GENERIC_LA_RED52.rar
&
W580_R8BE001_FS_AMERICA_1_RED52.rar

I hope I'm in the right way... because curiosity probably will kill my phone! lol

downloaded them from http://iprotebe.cz

can anyone help me.. how i can have walkman music player..? for k800

thx

you gotta pay a patch developer for that...