[Q] Xperia play Gingerbread to Jellybean/Kitkat

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Grover2000

Member
May 24, 2014
8
0
Hi can anyone advise what the problem could be?

I have been trying to upgrade my Xperia play from Gingerbread to Jellybean and failed,

My handset is Bootloader unlock Status = No, although O2 unlocked the carrier so I could use any carrier.
So when I goto Sony bootloader unlock site the phone will not goto fastboot mode. Just says Waiting

When I open Fashtool I have successfully rooted the phone, but when I try to Flash the phone rather than go into Fastboot mode the just restarts.

I am using Windows 7 64bit.

Any help on getting this done is greatly appreciated

Grover
 

ryanperez

Senior Member
Aug 21, 2013
195
45
Umm I think only the simlock has been removed. But the bootloader is still locked and cannot be unlocked. and what button are you pressing to go into flashboot?
 

Grover2000

Member
May 24, 2014
8
0
Umm I think only the simlock has been removed. But the bootloader is still locked and cannot be unlocked. and what button are you pressing to go into flashboot?

I have used search button whilst plugining in USB.

Does that mean bootloader is locked, so impossible to unlock?

The sticker on the back of the phone is W46. Read somewhere that using Flashtool may damage the phone.

Thanks in advance

Grover
 

TheScriptKitty

Senior Member
Dec 11, 2013
360
806
Mexico City
Xiaomi Poco F3
Hi can anyone advise what the problem could be?

I have been trying to upgrade my Xperia play from Gingerbread to Jellybean and failed,

My handset is Bootloader unlock Status = No, although O2 unlocked the carrier so I could use any carrier.
So when I goto Sony bootloader unlock site the phone will not goto fastboot mode. Just says Waiting

When I open Fashtool I have successfully rooted the phone, but when I try to Flash the phone rather than go into Fastboot mode the just restarts.

I am using Windows 7 64bit.

Any help on getting this done is greatly appreciated

Grover

SIM Unlocking the phone inst the same as Unlocking the Bootloader. If you Have Bootloader unlock Status = No you can still unlock your Bootloader via the Test Point method.

If you Unlock your phone with the Test Point method you will not have acces to Fastboot Mode, but you can still Flash Kernels via Flash Mode Using the FTF version of it(insted of a boot.img file).
Look in my signature if you want any FTF kernel.
 

korrectmethod

Senior Member
Aug 23, 2010
520
196
SIM Unlocking the phone inst the same as Unlocking the Bootloader. If you Have Bootloader unlock Status = No you can still unlock your Bootloader via the Test Point method.

If you Unlock your phone with the Test Point method you will not have acces to Fastboot Mode, but you can still Flash Kernels via Flash Mode Using the FTF version

Please note this method only works for xplays made before a certain date. (can't remember exactly when but google will help)

Sent from my R800i using XDA Free mobile app
 

Grover2000

Member
May 24, 2014
8
0
Please note this method only works for xplays made before a certain date. (can't remember exactly when but google will help)

Sent from my R800i using XDA Free mobile app

I have successfully done the test point via s1 tool method, but I'm not quite sure which version of JB to upload and how to my Xperia Play. Can someone give me a step by step guide on how to flash my phone?

Thanks in advance

Grover
 

korrectmethod

Senior Member
Aug 23, 2010
520
196
I have successfully done the test point via s1 tool method, but I'm not quite sure which version of JB to upload and how to my Xperia Play. Can someone give me a step by step guide on how to flash my phone?

Thanks in advance

Grover

Just read the instructions for whatever kernel you are using, and same with the rom you want to install.

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?p=39047223

Sent from my R800i using XDA Free mobile app
 
As above, follow the guide above. Since you unlocked via the testpoint and there's no fastboot, you need to have your kernels in a .ftf file format.

Here's a thread with download links to ftf kernels: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2739559

You will need to use flashtool to flash them. The JB ROM can then be flashed via recovery normally.

My Xperia PLAY was locked to O2 as well and testpoint unlocked, and these have been working fine for me so far... although for some reason my phone stopped working with ICS ROMs. GB and JB still works however.
 

Grover2000

Member
May 24, 2014
8
0
Phone bricked.

I flashed the Lupus JB kernal and then entered recovery menu and deleted formatted and now it just a blank screen as if the phone is off yet plugging in the usb is recognised by computer yet flashtools and Sony companion can't repair or recognise.

Any ideas?

Grover
 
Exactly what did you delete/format under recovery? All I did was pick the factory reset option, then wiped cache and dalvik cache, and then flashed the ROM and worked fine for me. I'm using version 8 of the kernel however for the extra data space.

Here are the ftf files for the stock original Sony firmware, which you can use to restore your device if flashing goes wrong (.79 is the latest): http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=43935357&postcount=2
 

Grover2000

Member
May 24, 2014
8
0
I formatted the file as you did and it came on with a blank lit screen so I flash the default file in firmware a on flash tools to get nothing but a blank dead screen

Any help is greatly appreciated

Grover
 
1) Download the .79 ftf firmware and place it in Flashtool's firmware folder.
2) Open up flashtool, and plug in the Xperia PLAY in flash mode (hold back button while plugging in USB). Flashtool should report the device is in flash mode.
3) Press the flash button (lightning symbol) and select the stock .79 firmware, then confirm to flash that.
4) Wait for it to finish flashing. Flashtool will then ask you to reboot the device.
5) Unplug the phone and hold the power button until it vibrates. Let go and it should boot back into the stock Xperia software.

It should now be back to stock, and you can attempt to try custom ROMs and kernels again.
 

Grover2000

Member
May 24, 2014
8
0
Unfortunately this is where the problem lies. Flash tools doesn't recognise that the phone is there hence can't flash it with stock firmware.

It is In a dead state. Is there anyone who offers a service to Unbrick it and what tools are required?

I am not dettered by having bricked my phone, as this is all part of my learning, although I would appreciated a possible fix to Unbrick it.

Thanks in advance

Grover
 
Last edited:

Grover2000

Member
May 24, 2014
8
0
Have you installed the drivers for the phone from the flashtool driver folder? Have a check here on how to do it: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2054486

All the drivers where installed as per instruction. The phone is in a state of being off all the time no lights or anything.

The only thing that is heard is the usb sound on the computer when it is connected.

Flashtools Sony Companion doesn't see the phone at all.

grover
 

XDM inc

Senior Member
Mar 7, 2011
1,645
375
Xiaomi Mi 9
Google Pixel Fold
If you Unlock your phone with the Test Point method you will not have acces to Fastboot Mode, but you can still Flash Kernels via Flash Mode Using the FTF version of it(insted of a boot.img file).
Look in my signature if you want any FTF kernel.

But my bootloader was unlocked Via testpoint and i have both fastboot mode and flash mode working fine, i install kernels via .img like everyone else and im a r800X cdma user.
 

TheScriptKitty

Senior Member
Dec 11, 2013
360
806
Mexico City
Xiaomi Poco F3
But my bootloader was unlocked Via testpoint and i have both fastboot mode and flash mode working fine, i install kernels via .img like everyone else and im a r800X cdma user.

Yes, if you unlocked your Bootloader via the test point method for the R800x and the R800i you should have access to Fast Boot Mode. You only don't get access to Fast Boot Mode if you have "Bootloader unlock status: No"(and unlocked via the Test Point Method), witch is about 100% of R800a users.
 
As above. Sadly, all phones sold from O2 UK have bootloader unlock as no, so the normal way of unlocking won't work and only the tespoint method is avaliable... So no fastboot. Due to that, I buy my phones unlocked and unbranded now. Luckily thanks to the great developers on here we can still root and play around with custom ROMs.

What version of Windows are you using Grover? I'm not sure if it's related but I have problems with adb/fastboot drivers on Windows 8/8.1 with HTC devices. Everything works perfectly on 7 though.
 

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    As above, follow the guide above. Since you unlocked via the testpoint and there's no fastboot, you need to have your kernels in a .ftf file format.

    Here's a thread with download links to ftf kernels: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2739559

    You will need to use flashtool to flash them. The JB ROM can then be flashed via recovery normally.

    My Xperia PLAY was locked to O2 as well and testpoint unlocked, and these have been working fine for me so far... although for some reason my phone stopped working with ICS ROMs. GB and JB still works however.