438 replies to this topic

[Rekoil]

This guide was damaged in the move to the new server at the end of 2007, I will try and fix it whenever I have time.

--Rekoil

Step by step instructions for flashing a phone using only XS++

Guide V1.3

Foreword
On behalf of TeamXS++ I would like to thank you for supporting free development by using our software.
This is the most updated version of the official XS++ user guide. Compiled by Rekoil on October 1st 2007 and updated by Rekoil on October 22nd 2007.

Table of contents
i) Terms of agreement
ii) Downloads
iii) Changelog
1) Converting to CID52 (if required)
2) Backing up GDFS
3) Flashing the firmware
4) Customizing your phone
5) Uploading files via FSX *optional*

*) Recovering from a bad flash

i) Terms of agreement
By following this guide you recognize that SE-NSE or the XS++ Team take no responsibility for any damage caused to your handset while doing so, having said that, it is very unlikely that you will.
If you do not agree to these terms leave this page now.

ii) Downloads

• USB Flash Driver
  
• XS++
  
• Sony Ericsson Update Service

Please download all of these files before proceeding.

iii) Changelog
V1.0 - October 1st 2007

• Initial release

V1.1 - October 5th 2007

• Added links for CDA and language information
  
• Added Foreword and Changelog sections
  
• Updated CID-change information

V1.2 - October 17th 2007

• Reorganized a little. GDFS restore is now clearly shown as an optional step
  
• Unless your customizing with FSX, it is also an optional step

V1.3 - October 22nd 2007

• Added note about customization

1) Converting to CID52 (if required)
If XS++ detects a DB2020 CID49 or CID51 phone, it will automatically ask if the user wants to upgrade. I can not grab any screenshots of this as my phone is already CID52. (if someone would do that for me though it would be much appreciated

2) Backing up GDFS
Backing up the GDFS isn't something which necessarily has to be done when flashing firmware, but it is a very good way to ensure you don't damage your phone beyond repair.

Step 1.
Take battery out of phone and put back in (do not turn phone on). Open XS++ and click Connect. Hold down the "C" button on the phones keypad and connect the USB cable. If this is the first time you flash your phone you will need to install the Flash drivers I posted further up.


Step 2.
Click on the GDFS tab as shown in the picture.


Step 3.
Click "Backup GDFS" and wait (shouldn't take more than about half a minute).


Step 4.
Done


3) Flashing the firmware
Step 1.
Take battery out of phone and put back in (do not turn phone on). Open XS++ and click Connect. Hold down the "C" button on the phones keypad and connect the USB cable.


Step 2.
Select the firmwares (make sure you extract them first) by clicking the "..." buttons or simply dragging the file from the explorer to the box (don't get mixed up with FS and MAIN).
Click "Flash" and wait (this takes a while, 6-7 minutes is normal).


Step 3.
Flashing is done, you can breathe now


4) Customizing your phone
Compulsory if flashing FS
Step 1.
Take battery out of phone and put back in (do not turn phone on). Open XS++ and click Connect. Hold down the "C" button on the phones keypad and connect the USB cable.


Step 2.
Tick “Customize File System”, select model and region/CDA, click flash.
Click here for help picking the right region.
Click here for help picking the right CDA.


Step 3.
Done.


5) Uploading files via FSX *optional*
FSX can be used as a way of customizing your handset just like step 4. This would be done if a user had a custpack they wanted to use which wasn't in XS++ yet.
Step 1.
Browse to the directory where you have XS++ installed and create a folder named files_to_upload (if it doesn’t already exist). In here extract all the files as they would go on the phone. E.g. a flash menu swf would go in C:\XS++\files_to_upload\tpa\preset\system\desktop\flash\name_of_flash_file.swf

Step 2.
Take battery out of phone and put back in (do not turn phone on). Open XS++ and click Connect. Hold down the "C" button on the phones keypad and connect the USB cable.


Step 3.
Click on the FSX tab as shown in the picture.


Step 4.
Click "Start FSX" and wait.


Step 5.
Done. Files have now been uploaded.


*) Recovering from a bad flash
*WARNING* flashing a GDFS that did not originally come from that exact handset may have severe consequences. By exact handset I mean your handset, not your friends unlocked handset, YOUR HANDSET!
Number of users that have not listened to this and ended up with a broken handset: 4

If a flash goes bad, two things need to be done. 1. You need to flash the firmware for the model you had before (when you did the GDFS backup), and 2. You need to restore GDFS.

For flashing follow from step 3 above. Do the GDFS restore after flashing and customizing the handset.

Step 1.
Take battery out of phone and put back in (do not turn phone on). Open XS++ and click Connect. Hold down the "C" button on the phones keypad and connect the USB cable. If this is the first time you flash your phone you will need to install the Flash drivers I posted further up.


Step 2.
Click on the GDFS tab as shown in the picture.


Step 3.
Select the backup you wish to restore. Click “Write GDFS”.


Step 4.
Done

Edited by Rekoil, 03 July 2008 - 08:00 AM.

[bracksisahobo]

Nice guide! It'll help many a phone user

Now to upgrade my friend's K800i...........

[_Sensible]

Excellent guide!

[Wally_Dog]

Nice Rekoil! Love the screenshots... they'll help a lot of people =D But to all who read this thread... can you help me? I re-de-branded my phone (had to do a master reset, so I debranded again) and used the same files I did last time, but this time I don't have flash menus... What's with that? P.S I even deleted DisableFlashDesktop.xml and used a Generic(non-branded)custpack, along with generic firmware. So if anyone call tell me what the deal is... I'd be very greatful =D

[Rekoil]

It has to be enabled in the cust-pack Wally_dog.

These are the entries I use.

  <mmi>
	<settings>
	  <enable-flash-desktop>true</enable-flash-desktop>
	</settings>
  </mmi>
  <registry>
	<flash-desktop>
	  <settings reg-path="/apps/flash-desktop">
		<enabled>true</enabled>
	  </settings>
	</flash-desktop>
  </registry>

Edited by Rekoil, 01 October 2007 - 02:06 AM.

[eyeyousee]

Nicely done Rekoil! Neat!

[lostcontact]

Lol, looks like you beat me to it Rekoil  

Good job mate  

[hendrik87]

aii.... im newbie here this is how you make flash menu right? if so i will go on coz i try one that others do i just cant flash my menu...

[sv452]

BIG thanx rekoil - this worked perfectly well with my K800i !! yippeee

one question what is this supposed to change on the phone:

And this one will upgrade from CID 51 to CID 52.

CODE
;Created Fri Feb 16 12:45:44 CET 2007 by GDFtoEMMA 1.31
;User: 23048727
;Host: seldw165
;Exclude sim lock: No,
;Check CDA: No
; CROD message from (RED49 or RED 51)->RED52 DB2020
begin;
encryption on;
gdfswrite:0001084E0100347E007C35170701351708013534270135399601354716013557040135220601
35220801351709013517100135381301354637013519420135194101354639013528360135283701
35194301353066013546250135306501354626013524010135282601355363013545790135464901
3546480135489301354911013530650100870001000001008020645F47D92140EE9611542F1E1659
725FB41A6A3C0A80D661D04B5135A3F58F5A3A954A757D348DE8C72B2D3A0EA548EC6560FC5FED27
4E670D2EFED4E48FAA3C5994C750AC16531E3890AD0E0CA23DD61BEFF595999813B34B8A6E24485D
26A917F00570266E3D0A3C6581746484215345297428BCCBF4D604A649D60AA99A
end;

i tried it and it ran perfectly yet i saw no diffrence on my phone which is optcid51/erom52 ...

other than that everything worked perfectly !!!!!!!
thanx !

[_Sensible]

If your phone is already erom52 then how can you upgrade it to erom52 ???

[a_k_s_h_a_y]

Rekoil Great Work !!
Simply Excellent !!!!  



Download Video Tutorial of XS++ Click  Here

Edited by a_k_s_h_a_y, 24 January 2008 - 12:11 PM.

[sv452]

gbrooks3, on 2007-10-02 14:05, said:

If your phone is already erom52 then how can you upgrade it to erom52 ???

hmm - so it does upgrade the rom - hmmm - it was not specified ... hehehehehe - luckily it didn't break anything ...



now i am content and happy - one very nice debranded vodafone - now i need to get the proper oem keypad ... hehehehe

this is way much fun ...

thanx again - to rekoil - and to gbrooks and the rest of the gang for xs++

)

[nndavvv]

hii i used the gdfs guide and i took the gdfs from a k800 to another k800 and the phone dosnt start now...
can someone help?
p.s.
the battry is full

[a_k_s_h_a_y]

nndavvv, on 2007-10-02 22:37, said:

hii i used the gdfs guide and i took the gdfs from a k800 to another k800 and the phone dosnt start now...
can someone help?
p.s.
the battry is full

You did not READ INSTRUCTIONS PROPERLY !!

You must USE GDFS of your own phone.. !
if u had made a backup of Your OWN GDFS then write it back !!!! ( not sure if u can now write it back plz wait )

You MUST NOT USE Other k800i GDFS to your k800i

Now please wait.. for some expert to help u..
this is now serious !!


Rekoil Please edit your tutorial to remove even the slightest ambiguity !

Quote

*WARNING* flashing a GDFS that did not originally come from that exact handset may have severe consequences.

Make it "Your Own Phone" Instead of using the words "Exact handset "

i see that now one fellow got confused that Exact Means Same Type of Phone..rather then his own phone !
Means a k800i GDFS for any k800i GDFS...

Edited by aks_win, 02 October 2007 - 05:34 PM.

[nndavvv]

i cant turn it on or connect it to the computer it doesn't respond...
i even tried seus but it didn't work either..
any suggestions?

[Rekoil]

aks_win, on 2007-10-02 23:50, said:

Rekoil Great Work !!
Simply Excellent !!!!  

rekoil
did u  flash back ur k610i from w660i ?? and then wrote this tut in which u again flash it to w660i ??
Thanks !

I sure did. The things I do for you guys

@nndavv,

Unless you kept a backup of the original GDFS of that phone, it will be irreparable. I really hope for your sake it's still under warranty

Edited by Rekoil, 03 October 2007 - 02:33 AM.

[nndavvv]

yes i have the  backup of the gdfs but i cant connect it to xs++...

[Safa]

nndavvv, on 2007-10-03 12:29, said:

yes i have the  backup of the gdfs but i cant connect it to xs++...

try using setool lite..

http://forums.se-nse...showtopic=13115


btw, i successfully restored my phone after writing a orginial gdfs to it from a random w850, by using read-units-method And now my phone is working perfectly!

[a_k_s_h_a_y]

Rekoil, on 2007-10-03 07:53, said:

Unless you kept a backup of the original GDFS of that phone, it will be irreparable. I really hope for your sake it's still under warranty

Rekoil you are scaring me really bad...!

if phone dies and no backup of GDFS then is it rendered completely useless ????
then can't even SE Service Center guys can't fix it ?? which means i will have to make a place for it in my dustbin ....

Edited by a_k_s_h_a_y, 24 January 2008 - 12:09 PM.

[nndavvv]

thanks a lot man it worked!!!!!!!!!
i tried a lot of times and my problem was that i didnt piked my model
im so happy....