Hello all,

The other day I rooted my XPeria X8, Android 2.1. I removed some stock apps (games, Wisepilot), and also added a 400Mb EXT2 partition on the SD card and installed Link2SD, so I could install apps on the SD card.

Everything was fine, expect for some occasional reboots. Until yesterday. I don't know exactly what caused this, but when I rebooted the phone, it wouldn't reboot properly. I had recently installed WidgetLocker, and just before I rebooted it I had enabled the key guard via Tasker.

First, it booted, started loading apps (GO Launcher, etc), but then it would reboot.

Then it booted again, but I was able to quickly switch to an app manager and see what processes were running, and kill them. But it booted again.

I rebooted it without the SD card or the SIM, and it booted OK. I imagined it was some app that on the SD card that was causing the problem, and that removing the SD card would avoid loading the app.

Third time it booted, status bar appeared, but black screen. Then a series of Force Close messages for Sony Ericsson apps: com.sonyericsson.messaging, etc.

And after that, the phone is stuck in a boot loop: "Sony Ericsson", followed by animation and "Sony Ericsson" Logo, followed by reboot.

I tried to restore it to factory settings by holding left and right keys while powering it up, but nothing happens. I guess something is damaged more deeply.

So I searched the forums on the subject, and found that I can probably recover the phone via xRecovery, Flashtool or SEUS/PCC.

Well, xRecovery: I understand that I would have to have installed on the phone, but I don't, and at this stage I can't install it.

Flashtool seems to be a good idea, and I could even flash a newer ROM.

SEUS: no longer available at the SE site for the X8.

PCC: last alternative.

Another problem: I don't have a backup of the ROM, but I'm downloading a "generic" one from this link at this forum.

I connect the phone to the PC and press the back button, and Windows detects it. But then it asks for the SEMC USB Flash drivers. Which I can't find anywhere to download. Not even at the SE developer's site.

Anyway, I need some help:

a) Find SEMC USB Flash drivers
b) I suppose the best way now is to use Flashtool and install a custom ROM. Can I install directly a custom one such as this SROM 2.2.1 Floyo or do I have to go through a normal 2.1 first?



Any guidance on this?

Thanks a lot,

Mickets

 

OK, praise the Lord. I found the SEMC USB Flash drivers that worked in this other site and then I was able to restore the firmware to the original state. .

It actually runs smoother now.

Well, now I'm going to be a bit more selective about what I do and install.

First thing I want to do is backup the current ROM. I suppose I should use xRecovery for that.

 

Brijesh,

I decided that I don't need to install custom ROMs. What I did to fix my bricked XPeria X8:

Install SEMC USB Flash Drivers
From link above, at the SE.NSE forum.

Unbrick

1. Install PC Companion on computer. Run it.
2. Plug USB cable in to computer, but not in to phone.
3. Plug USB cable in to phone, and press, repeatedly, the "back" key. Green LED lights up on phone and PC Companion detects it.
4. In PC Companion, look in to Utilities, and find the Repair Phone option. It will download and install the firmware on your phone, and reset it to factory defaults.

Root the Phone

Root it again, with SuperOneClick. I removed the SD card from my phone before I did.


Install xRecovery 0.1
Apparently versions 0.2 and 0.3 don't work with the XPeria X8. I just installed version 0.1, which worked fine.

The link is here at the XDA Developers Forum. You will see that the thread is about a version of xRecovery for the Xperia X10 but it works fine with the X8.

Install it following the instructions. No big deal. You don't have to use specifically Root Explorer to paste the files in the \system\bin folder - I used AntTek File manager, which is free.

Load xRecovery and Make a Backup!
Reboot your phone. WHen the first "Sony Ericsson" logo appears, press repeatedly the "back" button until xRecovery loads. Use the volume buttons to move up/down, "home" button for <Enter>, and "back" button to move to previous menu.

Go straight to the Backup menu, and make a backup of your functioning phone. You will need around 350Mb free on the SD card. The backup will be placed in the "xRecovery" folder on the SD card. Make a copy of that backup in to a safe place, for when/if you need it again someday.

The rest

Now, that's where I stopped. I installed Link2SD, restored most apps and data (which I had backed up), and when the phone was in a nice custom working way, I made another backup with xRecovery.

You should check the xRecovery instructions on installing custom ROMs, etc. It can do all of that.

My phone is working, and I can't afford messing around more with it right now.


Enjoy

 

Gabe,

A-ha... good advice. In fact, the questions I made about xRecovery and FlashTool came because I read your tutorial, but had some doubts.

From 1-3 above, the only thing I didn't have was (1), the xRecovery backup, hence my doubts. I had read about nand backups, etc, but hadn't figured out yet how to do one, and then my phone got "bricked".

I had (2) from MyBackup Pro, and (3) with www.memotoo.com, where I've been syncing my calendars and contacts for some time now.

But now I have xRecovery working and a couple of backups safely stored.

Thanks for the hint on plugging the cable to the phone first. Good point.

Cheers,

Michael