[Noob-Tutorial] How to create a CWM flashable zip file from FTF Firmware

U

UserX10

Senior Member
May 10, 2010
282
121
0
Mar 9, 2013 at 3:01 PM
Hi @all,

I´m using the Flashtool and other provided tools here in the Forum for a long time (thanks to all people who are involved in the developing)

Now I want to give something back.
I´m not a developer but I understand (hopefully) basic things.
I have also some phones which does not support the flashmode so I am reliant to the fastboot mode and CWM.
At this point my goal was to flash the stock ROM to the Xperia Z.

I found a tuturial how to make a flashable zip file for CWM but it was for old devices with yaffs2 filesystem and the new ones have ext4.


After some search I found everything what is needed and I want to share it with you.
The Tutorial covers basic things but maybe it will help some people who will try it.

Step 1
Download the Stock-FW you want (FTF-File)

Step 2
Rename the .ftf File to .zip

Step 3
Extract the system.sin (with 7zip or WinRar for example)

Step 4
Open Flashtool go to "Tools" -> "Sin Editor" -> Choose the extracted system.sin and push "extract" Data

Step 5
You will get an system.ext4 file

Step 6
We have to extract the files which are in the system.ext4 file - for this I used the DiskInternal Linux Reader

Step 7
After extracting the files you have to put all the files in a folder named "system" (low letters)

Step 8
Create a folder named for example "Firmware"

Step 9
Put the "system" folder in the "Firmware" folder

Step 10
Download the Attached META-INF File - extract it and copy the META-INF Folder in the "Firmware" folder

Step 11
Now you have in your "Firmware" folder two sub-folders
"system" and "META-INF"
Now you only have to zip the both folders for example with 7zip or WinRar
Important: You have to set the compression to "Store"

Step 12
Copy the zip File to your SD-Card and flash it with CWM


If you want you can now add files to the system folder - like busy box - and or modify things and flash it over CWM.


Special thanks to Bin4ry


Best regards
UserX10
 

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GuestK00328

Guest
Mar 11, 2013 at 5:12 PM
Nice tutorial!
EDIT: The flashable zip is huge (990MB), did this have anything to do with the compression being set to 'store'?
 
Last edited:
Osyx

Osyx

Senior Member
Dec 10, 2011
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Stockholm
Mar 12, 2013 at 9:24 AM
xL3thalTuRdZz said:
Nice tutorial!
EDIT: The flashable zip is huge (990MB), did this have anything to do with the compression being set to 'store'?
Click to expand...
If you don't set it to store it wont work at all, no rom/flashable zip have anything other than store compression the same goes for bootanimations ;)

Edit: OP/Mod you might just want to change TFT file to FTF in step 1
Sent from my GT-i9100 using Tapatalk 2
Edit2: It seems like this only goes for bootanimations, sorry my bad.
 
Last edited:
G

GuestK00328

Guest
Mar 15, 2013 at 7:50 AM
I've tried setting compression to 'Normal' and all seems to be going fine...

Sent from my C6603 using xda app-developers app
 
T

tempofestival

Guest
Apr 22, 2013 at 9:53 AM
ShivangDave said:
can you explain with details :fingers-crossed:

im getting ext4 file again after extracting !
Click to expand...
You have to selected the .ext4 file open with LinuxReader. (like you .doc file with Word)
LinuxReader will "mounted" it in his own window, open your "new" disk (2Go) then select the "Save" option above...
 
abcdjdj

abcdjdj

Senior Member
May 28, 2012
1,735
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Thane
Apr 22, 2013 at 5:24 PM
When I tried to extract Xperia S's stock rom from the ftf using DiskReaderInternals, then the rom would boot but USB would never work. Even the guy above me (ShivangDave) tried extracting using DiskReaderInternals for Miro but the rom failed to boot and got stuck at the Sony logo. That's why it is better to use linux to extract the system.ext4 image.
 
U

UserX10

Senior Member
May 10, 2010
282
121
0
May 5, 2013 at 6:34 PM
fer14 said:
Please!
Does this tutoriral can be applied to other models as Neo V.
Thank you and best regards!:(
Click to expand...
This Tutorial should also work with the Neo V. Only one thing could be different.
But depending on your Android Version (when I remember well) it could be possible that you have instead of an ext4 file a yaffs2 file. In this case you can search the forum for an how to for this extension.
 
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S

SXUsr

Senior Member
Jul 11, 2010
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Here =)
May 7, 2013 at 6:24 PM
TheHawk002 said:
If you don't set it to store it wont work at all, no rom/flashable zip have anything other than store compression the same goes for bootanimations ;)
Click to expand...
I use a template for flashing various things and I just drop stuff in it using Normal compression and it flashes ok, might be more important for full ROMs or zips to be run on the Phone like a boot animation, but for flashing the odd apk or other file I don't think it matters.

UserX10 said:
This Tutorial should also work with the Neo V. Only one thing could be different.
But depending on your Android Version (when I remember well) it could be possible that you have instead of an ext4 file a yaffs2 file. In this case you can search the forum for an how to for this extension.
Click to expand...
XperienceD said:
[GUIDE] How to make your regional firmware an .FTF file

[Guide] How make a FTF of stock firmware from SUS files

[GUIDE]How to make a rooted flashable rom from ftf file[FOR ALL XPERIA PHONES]


[tutorial] | how to extract system.sin

[tutorial] step by step method to extract ftf file from ics [ics]

[Tool] Yaffey - Utility for reading, editing and writing YAFFS2 images
Click to expand...
 
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tdth

Member
Sep 29, 2011
21
3
0
Jun 5, 2013 at 4:08 PM
UserX10 said:
Hi @all,

I´m using the Flashtool and other provided tools here in the Forum for a long time (thanks to all people who are involved in the developing)

Now I want to give something back.
I´m not a developer but I understand (hopefully) basic things.
I have also some phones which does not support the flashmode so I am reliant to the fastboot mode and CWM.
At this point my goal was to flash the stock ROM to the Xperia Z.

I found a tuturial how to make a flashable zip file for CWM but it was for old devices with yaffs2 filesystem and the new ones have ext4.


After some search I found everything what is needed and I want to share it with you.
The Tutorial covers basic things but maybe it will help some people who will try it.

Step 1
Download the Stock-FW you want (FTF-File)

Step 2
Rename the .ftf File to .zip

Step 3
Extract the system.sin (with 7zip or WinRar for example)

Step 4
Open Flashtool go to "Tools" -> "Sin Editor" -> Choose the extracted system.sin and push "extract" Data

Step 5
You will get an system.ext4 file

Step 6
We have to extract the files which are in the system.ext4 file - for this I used the DiskInternal Linux Reader

Step 7
After extracting the files you have to put all the files in a folder named "system" (low letters)

Step 8
Create a folder named for example "Firmware"

Step 9
Put the "system" folder in the "Firmware" folder

Step 10
Download the Attached META-INF File - extract it and copy the META-INF Folder in the "Firmware" folder

Step 11
Now you have in your "Firmware" folder two sub-folders
"system" and "META-INF"
Now you only have to zip the both folders for example with 7zip or WinRar
Important: You have to set the compression to "Store"

Step 12
Copy the zip File to your SD-Card and flash it with CWM


If you want you can now add files to the system folder - like busy box - and or modify things and flash it over CWM.


Special thanks to Bin4ry


Best regards
UserX10
Click to expand...
I tried this on Xperia SP but the installation is aborted, does this supports Xperia SP? If not, how can I make another one for Xperia SP? Thanks
 
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Sonylover12

Sonylover12

Member
May 28, 2013
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0
Jun 5, 2013 at 4:22 PM
tdth said:
I tried this on Xperia SP but the installation is aborted, does this supports Xperia SP? If not, how can I make another one for Xperia SP? Thanks
Click to expand...
which error ?

---------- Post added at 08:52 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:50 PM ----------
tdth said:
I tried this on Xperia SP but the installation is aborted, does this supports Xperia SP? If not, how can I make another one for Xperia SP? Thanks
Click to expand...
this works... make sure you have correct update-binary file and also script !
 
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