10 replies to this topic

[gvelasquez85]

Hello guys, this is my first post in the forum, but I've been using CM for around 1 year... in the past with a Samsung Galaxy 5 and now with an Xperia Ray... I hope I can help out in many ways to the devs community.

I have one question for you... I am reading and reading posts in XDA, and now I'm in a strange situation. I want to flash CM7 (hope CM9 soon) in my Ray, but since the Bootloader unlock allowed:NO message comes to my phone I feel very sad about it. I tried to boot into Fastboot, but the phone simply refuses to do it and only starts with the orange led and starts charging, but no Fastboot...

The first thing I tried was Root the Ray, and the I managed to do it with a simple tool (you can find the latest version here)

[Xperia 2011 Easy Rooting Toolkit [v4.0](zergRush Exploit)] - http://forum.xda-dev...d.php?t=1320350

Still my Bootloader is locked... so I think the CWM installation was impossible, later, I found this tool:

[SE Extreme Tweak Installer v1.8] - http://forum.xda-dev...d.php?t=1346190

Then, I had installed CWM onto the Xperia Ray, without unlocking the Bootloader yet... (yes, it works at boot having the vol- key pressed as well) and yes, you can flash files (actually I modded some things on the original rom from CWM)...

The question is... Am I missing something to flash CM7/9??
Can I flash CM7/9 now??
Do you think this method will work for Xperia models??
Do you have any sugestions on this??
What if I don't unlock the bootloader and flash CM7/9??
My phone is operator locked, is this a problem to flash CM7/9??
If I flash the CM7/9 rom, will my phone be bricked??

My bootloader still says Bootloader unlock allowed: No :S. By the way, I do have a Xperia ST18a not a ST18i.

PD: I do not own any of those tools. I am only telling my method, so I you think this is a valuable information please says thanks to the developers above (and if you want, me too )

Edited by gvelasquez85, 02 May 2012 - 04:46 AM.

[bassmadrigal]

Having a bootloader locked does not always prevent flashing of devices. It depends on the device (and unfortunately, I am not familiar enough with yours to know for sure). But if you have successfully modified something on the /system partition, I would say your chances are high that this would work without an issue. I can successfully mod my Nexus One without ever unlocking the bootloader. For my phone, unlocking the bootloader basically allows you to bypass rooting the stock install and allows you to directly install a custom recovery through fastboot. If my phone's bootloader remains locked, it basically just prevents me from using most of fastboot's features.

[gvelasquez85]

Why is important fastboot at this point??.. Is there any difference if I have it or not??, Will I lose some functionality of CM7/9??

[bassmadrigal]

No, fastboot just makes things easier sometimes.

[gvelasquez85]

Do you think it is better to move this topic to the Stable Release forum?? or this is the appropiate forum to post it??

[bassmadrigal]

No this is fine. It is general information about your device that can help anyone.

[gvelasquez85]

I have a last question... does it matters if my phone is network locked???

[bassmadrigal]

Most phones are not network locked unless it is a CDMA based phone (Sprint or Verizon based phones). But in the states, some phones between AT&T and T-Mobile don't work on each other's 3G frequencies. What this means is that you can take the phone to the other carrier, but it may just not work with 3G (although, EDGE access will work fine). Not all phones have this limitation, so you would need to check and see if yours has it or not.

[catcutoo]

I was in same situation, with a Xperia Ray with locked bootloader. I was able to root and install CWM, but I could not flash CM7, I got an error.

Instead, I ended up installing a different ROM that I found on XDA-Developers, "JJ's Hybrid ROM 3.1 Stable (LOCKED BOOTLOADERS)" (you can search online for it, since I cannot post links).

Any chance that there might be a way to install CM7 and in the future CM9 on phones with locked bootloaders?

[gvelasquez85]

Basically no. The main thing here is:

If you have a locked bootloader, you can't install any rom, because the boot section have to be rewritten in another FS (ext4 usually) so, if you can't unlock your bootloader, no way CM7-CM9-RayOmnium ICS-MIUI or other roms will not fit in here.

To unlock your bootloader, you have two simple ways. Having a network-unlocked or operator-unlocked phone (you can fit any simcard in your phone) you can use the SE method but you will have the DRM keys and the ability to upgrade the software using SEUS in case that you want to install a SE ROM (I can't post links yet).

In the other hand, you have the TestPoints method and your phone will be unlocked, but, you wont lose any DRM Keys or something (I can't post links yet).

Please let me know what do you need, and if I can, I'll help you.

PD: Installed CM9 - Unlocked Bootloader - GOOD WORK GUYS!!

[zdoe]

12w17 xperia ray
is the jinx13 setool bootloader unlock going to work? or - could something else work?
gvelasquez85 - how did you sort out your situation?