[Tutorial][ION] Flashing Firmware and Rooting (Updated 15/11/2012)

ganeshbiyer · Aug 3, 2012

[FONT=Albany, Arial]Flashing latest firmware (upgrading & updating) and rooting[/FONT]

For Sony Xperia ION LT28 Series – Locked and Unlocked Boot loaders.

THIS TUTORIAL IS IS NOT APPLICABLE FOR ROOTING ICS 6.1.E.3.7 LT28i and LT28h FIRMWARES.
To root these firmwares:
1. Follow Spectre's thread for Pre-rooted firmwares
OR
2. My thread for flashing stock kernel with root. (unlocked boot loaders only)

This guide is for everyone who wishes to flash the latest ION firmware and then proceed on to root it.
Though this guide is for Xperia ION, but I suppose, this is quite universal and applicable to all Xperia Phones.

Read carefully and understand clearly the process before starting the actual process of flashing. When in doubt, ask your queries in this forum and wait for it to get answered.

The Xperia ION Lt28 exists in 4 variants.

AT&T version with LTE. ( Lt28at )
Rogers Version with LTE. ( Lt28rogers )
International Version with LTE. ( Lt28i )
Version without LTE. ( Lt28h )

Getting Ready

There a a few very essential things that need to be sorted out before you could flash a firmware. I am listing them below.

Connecting the phone to the PC and making it recognize the phone.

(Windows only):
When you connect the phone to the PC for the first time, the phone will prompt you to install the PC Companion S/w on your pc. Go ahead and Install it. In addition to this, essential drivers required for connectivity will also be installed. In windows , both MTP and MSC modes of connectivity work. MTP mode allows access to both Internal and External SD card. MSC mode will allow access of only the External SD card.

(Linux Only):
It is a little tricky in the case of linux to achieve connectivity. The following are the steps you need to follow:

1. Open Command Window, “ terminal” in case of Gnome base Linux and “konsole” in the case of KDE based Linux. It should be easily accessable through menu.

2. Inside the Command Window type “ sudo gedit /etc/udev/rules.d/51-android.rules” if you are using Gnome or “sudo kwrite /etc/udev/rules.d/51-android.rules” for KDE.

3. Add the below lines into the file and save it.
#Sony Ericsson
SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTR{idVendor}=="0fce", MODE="0666"

4. Execute the following command from command window:
chmod a+r /etc/udev/rules.d/51-android.rules

5. Restart Linux now.

6. Connect the phone to the PC, open Command Window and type “ lsusb” without the quotes and press Enter. You should see an output, and you should see a line with the following:

ID 0fce:6177 Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB

7. If you don't see it, then you have made a mistake in the previous steps. Retrace the steps again to see that they are correct.

8. Open the phone, go to settings and select Xperia Settings and then select connectivity. Select USB Connection mode as “ Mass Storage Mode (MSC)”. The MTP mode does not work in linux. The support is not yet available.

9. Now when you connect the phone to the Pc it will mount the external_sd card automatically.
The above steps just ensures that the Phone is recognized by the PC and

Download and Install flashtool and Drivers:

Download flashtool:

Link1 ( http://androxyde.github.com/)

Link 2 Linux ( http://www.sendspace.com/file/0pz8ru)

Link3 Windows ( http://www.mediafire.com/?9d64a4twrqd3w7y)

Install Drivers:

( Windows Only) After installing Flashtool, navigate into the flashtool folder and go into drivers folder. Double click on the Flashtool-drivers.exe to install the drivers. Restart the computer. This step is not required for Linux Users.

Download and Install Android Sdk. (Not Mandatory)

Downloading Android Sdk:

Android Sdk can be downloaded from here. ( http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html)
Click on the “SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS” to check that you sysytem meets the minimum requirement.
The downloads are under “SDK Tools Only” section.

Setting up Android Sdk:

( Windows Only) Installing in Windows is as simple as clicking in the downloaded exe. After installing, start the Sdk Manager. In windows it can be accessed from the start menu. Select Tools Checkbox and then Install Button. Wait for the installation to complete.

Set up the PATH environment variable to access adb:

( Windows 7)
Select Computer from the Start menu
Choose System Properties from the context menu
Click Advanced system settings > Advanced tab
Click on Environment Variables, under System Variables, find PATH, and click on it.
At the end add the path to android-sdk tools and platform-tools folder.

(Windows XP)
Start -> Control Panel -> System -> Advanced
Click on Environment Variables, under System Variables, find PATH, and click on it.
At the end add the path to android-sdk tools and platform-tools folder.

Setting up Android Sdk:

(Linux Only)
Right click on the downloaded .tgz file and extract it. Probably, it will create a folder “android-sdk-linux”. Copy the folder to root of your home. Open the file manager and navigate to the android-sdk-linux/tools folder and click on android script to execute it.
It will start the Android Sdk Manager. Select Tools Checkbox and then Install Button. Wait for the installation to complete.

Set up the PATH environment variable to access adb:

(Linux Only)
Now to set up the PATH environment variable to access adb. For this you need to edit the .bashrc file to setup the path so that adb can be accessed by just typing the command.

Open the command window and type “gedit ~/.bashrc” or “kwrite ~/.bashrc” and add the following lines and save it.

export PATH=${PATH}:~/android-sdk-linux/tools
export PATH=${PATH}:~/android-sdk-linux/platform-tools

Restart the PC.

Proceed to POST#2 for FLASHING Steps.

ganeshbiyer · Aug 3, 2012

Flashing and Rooting ICS on any Xperia ION

Flashing Firmware:

Now comes the easiest part.

So if you have completed the steps from post#1, then you are ready to flash the firmwares. It does not matter if your ION is on Gingerbread or Ice Cream Sandwich, the process of flashing remains the same. Flashing firmwares does not require Bootloader's to be Unlocked.

First and foremost you need to downlod the latest firmware for your Phone. So you head over to this site.

Firmware Links ( http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1752345 )

After downloading the firmware, follow the Screen shot attachments with the steps below:

1. Start flashtool and click the lightening icon.

2 .Select Flash Mode.

3 .Select firmware to flash.

4. Click OK to start flash.

5. When the screen 5 pop's up, power down the phone. Press power + volume down button simultaneously. If the green led lights up, then the phone is in flash mode.
Flashtool will start flashing automatically. Once it is done flashing, it will show a message that the phone is disconnected.
Now detach the usb cable from the phone and press the power button to start the phone.

Proceed to POST#3 for ROOTING Steps

ganeshbiyer · Aug 3, 2012

Rooting:

FOR LOCKED BOOT LOADERS

As per the developer of this method, it works only on ICS and JB.
To root the phone, first you need to download the rooting kit from here.
( http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?p=31545627#post31545627 )

At the time of writing, the latest version available is Version 15. ( http://ul.to/h44f6vni )
This is known to work well with Ion.

Also there is Version 13 which works well for me. ( http://www.mediafire.com/?1q4nt6b63ooaf1s )

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

This method of rooting requires the Backup & Restore utility to be installed on the phone. If it is not available by default, on your phone, download it from here. ( https://docs.google.com/file/d/0ByrrmqPijqISWElSQjV1aWVkMVk/edit?pli=1 ) and install it as a normal app.

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

Now on the phone, got to settings/developer options for ICS and enable USB debugging. Without this your phone will not be recognized by adb and you won't be able to root your phone.

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

Unzip the downloaded rooting kit to the place of your choice.

(Windows only) Connect the phone to the pc. Now navigate to the folder which contains the unzipped contents of the rooting kit. Click on the RunMe.bat. Now follow the instructions.

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

(Linux Only) I don't know if the Linux script in the latest version works or not. But it works in the the Version 13, which i have attached to this post. Open the terminal window and navigate to the folder where you have unzipped the rooting kit. Now type the following command and follow the instructions.

chmod +x runme.sh
sudo ./runme.sh

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

FOR UNLOCKED BOOT LOADERDS

Flash the stock kernel with Root + Cwm + Init.d support.
Download this kernel.elf and flash it using flashtool.
The Download links and Instructions are on the OP of THIS post.

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

LINKS

Here is Captainkrtek's ADB GUIDE

killerskincanoe · Aug 3, 2012

very well put together guide. thx

vladvertigo · Aug 4, 2012

now need root instructions for ICS

ganeshbiyer · Aug 5, 2012

vladvertigo said:
now need root instructions for ICS

Rooting method of Xperia S works on our phone.

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1742992

phillip zanders · Aug 5, 2012

This should go in a sticky as installing ice with LTE too many threads and right now.

Sent from my LT28at using xda premium

ganeshbiyer · Aug 6, 2012

Updated Post 2 with rooting method for ICS.

Recon Freak · Aug 6, 2012

I used this to root before you posted it but it slowed ICS down to point out was almost unusable. Any thoughts on why? Did I screw something up maybe?

Sent from my LT28h using xda premium

ganeshbiyer · Aug 6, 2012

Recon Freak said:
I used this to root before you posted it but it slowed ICS down to point out was almost unusable. Any thoughts on why? Did I screw something up maybe?

Sent from my LT28h using xda premium

I followed the above instructions as it is. I had pre-rooted gingerbread.
ICS is pretty fast, not as fast as Gb, but no lags either.
May be some problem with the ICS Rom zip. Try downloading it again. None have reported this problem.

Recon Freak · Aug 6, 2012

I'm running it now and it flies. But as soon as I root it happens. I tried it twice from stock ATT and generic .111.

Sent from my LT28h using xda premium

Deleted member 1483200 · Aug 6, 2012

Am I reading wrong? But I currently have ICS. So do I need to like re flash gingerbread then go back to ICS?

Sent from my Sony Xperia Ion

ganeshbiyer · Aug 6, 2012

wolf0491 said:
Am I reading wrong? But I currently have ICS. So do I need to like re flash gingerbread then go back to ICS?

Sent from my Sony Xperia Ion

I think You will need to. Both the batch files need to be executed, to be able to get root.

Deleted member 1483200 · Aug 6, 2012

ganeshbiyer said:
I think You will need to. Both the batch files need to be executed, to be able to get root.

That's just annoying haha. I'll wait

Sent from my Sony Xperia Ion

vpllover · Aug 6, 2012

So I want to make sure I have this straight!
I have a stock ATT Ion 2.3.7

3. Application Settings: [Unknown sources] checked {Allowed}

4. Application Settings: Development [USB debugging] checked {Allowed}

5. Run Step 1.bat

6. Install Ice Cream Sandwich without wiping anything.
(wipe data, wipe cache and wipe apps log are not selected).

Once flashing is done, start the phone manually. It does not reboot automatically.

7. Application Settings: [Unknown sources] checked {Allowed}

8. Application Settings: Development [USB debugging] checked {Allowed}

9. Run step 2.bat

And this will give me ROOTED ICS 4.0.4 with locked bootloader?
Then what do I flash to get my LTE radio back? Just the Stock ATT baseband?

Sorry for the noobish question, my Ion is less than a week old and I havent picked insurance through best buy yet so I don't want to brick before I insure it

accts · Aug 6, 2012

vpllover said:
So I want to make sure I have this straight!
I have a stock ATT Ion 2.3.7

3. Application Settings: [Unknown sources] checked {Allowed}

4. Application Settings: Development [USB debugging] checked {Allowed}

5. Run Step 1.bat

6. Install Ice Cream Sandwich without wiping anything.
(wipe data, wipe cache and wipe apps log are not selected).

Once flashing is done, start the phone manually. It does not reboot automatically.

7. Application Settings: [Unknown sources] checked {Allowed}

8. Application Settings: Development [USB debugging] checked {Allowed}

9. Run step 2.bat

And this will give me ROOTED ICS 4.0.4 with locked bootloader?
Then what do I flash to get my LTE radio back? Just the Stock ATT baseband?

Sorry for the noobish question, my Ion is less than a week old and I havent picked insurance through best buy yet so I don't want to brick before I insure it

Download the stock GB AT&T, when flash de-select all wipes. Checked everything esle below that Except baseband.

Sent from my LT28h using Tapatalk 2

popfan · Aug 6, 2012

Thanks for the guide. I had to do it solo, You might want to add in to guide for the noobs how to get into flash mode.

erichall82 · Aug 7, 2012

Where is the att ftf files located? Just in case something goes wrong

Sent from my LT28at using XDA Premium App

Spectre51 · Aug 7, 2012

erichall82 said:
Where is the att ftf files located? Just in case something goes wrong

Sent from my LT28at using XDA Premium App

Firmwares are stickied at the top of the ion General forum.

popfan · Aug 7, 2012

ganeshbiyer said:
Rooting method of Xperia S works on our phone.

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1742992

FYI - this does have CWM in it, but because it was designed for the Xperia S it doesn't work completely. If someone would be so kind to redesign the CWM in that file for us that would be awesome!

[Tutorial][ION] Flashing Firmware and Rooting (Updated 15/11/2012)

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