Hello there fellow X8/W8 users!
This post is intended to point your attention to the simple fact that there's a hardware imposed danger to hard brick your Xperia X8 and W8, applies to E15i/a and E16i/a, at the attempt to unlock the boot loader!
The phones affected by the problem are units being manufactured at, and after, 11W29!
To check if your device is affected by the problem follow this simple steps:
If the date code on the sticker reads 11W29, or any later date (11W30, 11W31, 11W32, 11W33, ...), DO NOT attempt to unlock the boot loader.
These phones ship with a revamped chipset configuration having the security hole the boot loader unlock uses effectively closed. This means that upon unlocking the boot loader your phone will end up as a hard brick - and you will have NO means to revive the phone yourselves. You either have to send it off to Sony for repair (recommended solution) or find a phone repair shop being able to resurrect shot devices!
The symptom you will experience when unlocking the boot loader on an affected device is like this:
This is the point where you can not do anything anymore yourself to resurrect the device.
You have been warned, DO NOT TRY to unlock the boot loader on phones manufactured PAST 11W29!
But it has been seen that there are few devices with manufacturing code above 11W29 have also successfully unlocked their bootloader.
For example me,i have 11W34 and unlocked the bootloader just fine..
But let me remind you again that this was just a matter of luck.
You might not be so lucky...
Also if you have manufacturing code above 11W29 and are desperate to unlock your bootloader then there are paid methods for it as reported by few users who had successfully unlocked their bootloader with manufacturing date above 11W29.
Update (2012/02/23):
To clear up the "no means to resurrect the phone yourself": This is true unless you are a experienced electronics technician. If you own a JTAG box (RIFF Box, Medusa Box) you may attempt to resurrect the device through JTAG. It may also be possible to resurrect the device through UART flash by using a test pin connection. Google is your friend here to dig up the required informations.
As posted by baiclark: There's an option to unlock the boot loader on 11W29+ devices, though this involves some Software (setool2) where you need to buy credits to perform the unlock. This is an untested procedure. If you decide to jump the gun please report your experience.
Update: Home-Brew unbricking with Omnius
Forum member aze2learn posted a guide about how to unbrick your hard bricked W8/X8 by using a modified Nokia CA-42 cable and Omnius. Find his valuable contribution at this post.
/!\ Be warned that this requires basic electronics skills to make it happen. /!\
This post is intended to point your attention to the simple fact that there's a hardware imposed danger to hard brick your Xperia X8 and W8, applies to E15i/a and E16i/a, at the attempt to unlock the boot loader!
The phones affected by the problem are units being manufactured at, and after, 11W29!
To check if your device is affected by the problem follow this simple steps:
- Turn off the phone and open it up
- Take out the battery
- Look at the sticker below
If the date code on the sticker reads 11W29, or any later date (11W30, 11W31, 11W32, 11W33, ...), DO NOT attempt to unlock the boot loader.
These phones ship with a revamped chipset configuration having the security hole the boot loader unlock uses effectively closed. This means that upon unlocking the boot loader your phone will end up as a hard brick - and you will have NO means to revive the phone yourselves. You either have to send it off to Sony for repair (recommended solution) or find a phone repair shop being able to resurrect shot devices!
The symptom you will experience when unlocking the boot loader on an affected device is like this:
- The boot loader unlock will most likely go through fine
- At restart the phone will show NO signs of life anymore.
NO LED, NO LCD output, NO vibration.
This is the point where you can not do anything anymore yourself to resurrect the device.
You have been warned, DO NOT TRY to unlock the boot loader on phones manufactured PAST 11W29!
But it has been seen that there are few devices with manufacturing code above 11W29 have also successfully unlocked their bootloader.
For example me,i have 11W34 and unlocked the bootloader just fine..
But let me remind you again that this was just a matter of luck.
You might not be so lucky...
Also if you have manufacturing code above 11W29 and are desperate to unlock your bootloader then there are paid methods for it as reported by few users who had successfully unlocked their bootloader with manufacturing date above 11W29.
Update (2012/02/23):
To clear up the "no means to resurrect the phone yourself": This is true unless you are a experienced electronics technician. If you own a JTAG box (RIFF Box, Medusa Box) you may attempt to resurrect the device through JTAG. It may also be possible to resurrect the device through UART flash by using a test pin connection. Google is your friend here to dig up the required informations.
As posted by baiclark: There's an option to unlock the boot loader on 11W29+ devices, though this involves some Software (setool2) where you need to buy credits to perform the unlock. This is an untested procedure. If you decide to jump the gun please report your experience.
Update: Home-Brew unbricking with Omnius
Forum member aze2learn posted a guide about how to unbrick your hard bricked W8/X8 by using a modified Nokia CA-42 cable and Omnius. Find his valuable contribution at this post.
/!\ Be warned that this requires basic electronics skills to make it happen. /!\
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