Sony Ericsson Xperia X8 is an Android OS based smartphone which was released officially with the Android version 1.6 running on the phone. Although the latest version of Android for smartphones is 2.3 as of now, but most of the Xperia X8 phones have not got any official firmware update as yet. However there is an Android 2.1 official firmware update available for Sony Ericsson Xperia X8 but it is restricted to certain regions and builds of phones only. If you have an old Xperia X8 which does not update ahead of Android firmware 1.6, we have a solution. In this article, I will share with you the guide to update Sony Ericsson Xperia X8 to official 2.1 firmware.
Note- This method involves rooting of the Android and modifying one of the system files of the phone, try this at your own risk. We are not responsible for any damages or problems of any kind which may occur because of this.
There are three major steps involved in this update procedure which are- Rooting your phone, editing the system file and updating the phone using PC companion software on a computer. We recommend that you read the compete tutorial first before starting it so that you are sure you have all the softwares and tools needed to complete it. In this tutorial, I will give a detail of these three procedures:
Rooting Your Sony Ericsson Xperia X8
To root your Xperia X8, you need a USB data cable, Windows computer and Rooting Software called the SuperOneClick which you can download from here. Before you start this procedure, its recommended that your download and install the Sony Ericsson PC companion software from here. You nay need drivers for X8 for Windows if your Xperia X8 is not detecting on your Windows PC, you can download X8 drivers for Windows here.
Step1: Connect your Sony Xperia X8 smartphone to your windows computer using data cable. Go to Settings > Applications > Development > Enable USB Debugging. After you enable USB debugging mode. Start the SuperOneClick.exe on your computer and click the “Root” button.
It may take up to 10 minutes, wait patiently, a success message will display after your device is rooted.
Editing Build File On Sony Ericsson Xperia X8
You need to edit a file called the “build.prop” file to make your phone download the official android 2.1 firmware for Sony Ericsson Xperia X8. To edit the same, you need to follow the below steps:
Step 1: Go to Android marketplace app and download the Astro file manager which is a free software, this will be used to browser and install the root explorer software on your phone.
Step 2: Download the Root Explorer application file from here and save it on your windows desktop. Now connect your phone to your computer using data cable and connect in USB storage device mode. Explore to the memory card and copy the Root explorer file saved on your desktop to your phone’s memory card.
Step 3: Disconnect the phone from PC. Go to Settings > Applications > Install Apps from Unknown sources. Open the Astro file manager and locate the application file copied in the step 2 above, install the root explorer file.
Step 4: After you install the root explorer, start the root explorer and open the System folder. On the top right corner of the screen, click on the “Mount R/W” button. Now go to build.prop file. Long press on the build.prop file and select the option to “Open in text editor” option. In this file, you need to update three parameters – “ro.product.name=E15i_XXXX-XXXX” “ro.build.fingerprint=SEMC/E15i_XXXX-XXXX/sonyEricssonE15i/” and “ro.semc.version.cust=XXXX-XXXX”, where XXXX-XXXX is a numeric build number which you need to change leaving rest of the part unchanged. You can put the following code for getting the Android 2.1 official update for Xperia X8.
1242-7327
after you replace the old code with the above 8 digit code, click on the menu button, save the file and exit the editor.
Step 4: Power off your phone and power it on again.
Updating Sony Ericsson Xperia X8 With 2.1 Official Firmware Using PC Companion
Now connect the phone to your Windows computer and run the Sony Ericsson PC Companion software. Make sure that it detects your phone. After it detects your phone, check for the software update with the option on the PC companion, this time, you will see the update available.
Before update, take a backup of your phones data with Backup and Restore App which is pre-installed on the phone. Update the phone and after the update completes, Restore the backup with the Backup and Restore App.
Here is the Xperia X8 we updated with the official 2.1 Firmware having Update 1 of Android 2.1. Hope you find the tutorial easy to follow, if you have doubts or suggestion, please share through comments below.
source- XDA Developers Forum
Comments
Ty for the tutorial ROHIT, one of my friends said that tried it and owrked and im gonna update tommorow cause my phone is charging for the first time. I will reply right here if it worked.
Be carefull with the region and network. I did the upgrade and the phone upgraded to 2.1, But now it doesn’t recognize my service provider. I need to unlock the Network. And I can’t do a rollback. It’s very frustrating.
Hey man, i did all you said to do, but then when i came to file “build.prop” it could not be opened in text editor, because its “read-only” file. What to do? pls tell 🙂
I am facing problem for upgrading 2.1 version on Xperia X8. Istalation stop at 10% after that no progress reported, I waited for more than 3 hours but program remained not responding. Now my phone is not powering up( Triangle sign is appearing on the mobile when turned on). When i tried to install again message appeared to uninstalled already instaled items.
Any body tell me how to reinstall the things
@Khaqan
Try this on other pc
thank you all for your comments. have decided me not to try anymore. I’m so happy I can still use my 1.6 android phone! :)))
mine was already updated when i bought it. 🙂
hey guyzz plzz help me out i bought a sony ericsson xperia x8 a week back and i’m facing a problem of the phone switching opf automatically when connected to a computer….itz been like this for the last two days …… pls give me a solution
I has problem on my phone Sony Ericsson Xperia X8, I want connect internet to Computer, don’t Input thought USB and Bluetooth, please you tell me. thank you…..
I have x8- 1.6 since last one year. great phone. want to upgrade firmware.
pc companion working fine. pc companion detects my x8 through usb cable.
but when I click on update software. it says application not installed please try again later.
in pc companion settings there are options for proxy settings on all proxy settings options it says cannot connect to internet. 🙁
how to uodate the firmware!?
Hi!
Does anyone meet a bluetooth problem with X8 with firmware 2.1 update1 (origin)?
Mine recognize other bluetooth devices, but does not send or receive.
I get a message “Relié, mais pas connecté”.
Who can help?
Thanks
i am trying to download this version for my mobile phone which is sony ericsson xperia 10 mini pro, i follow the steps and i download the SuperOneClick, i was trying to open the forlders and run the application but it says that i have a problem with the jit, how can i pass the problem and finish the reload with all these???????????????????????????????
thanks!!!
xperia x8 is very nic phone i like this
but problem is one camera not zoom
I did everything that this thing said, and it didnt work for me, I’m stuck at version 2.0 something…
can i open pdf file in x8?
very,goood
if you have xperia x8 E15i 1.6(donut) firmware .. do not ever upgrade it to higher firmware .. just download the application you want or you need at android market .. coz i upgrade my xperia x8 to a higher firmware , it sucksss!!! many defects. now im looking how to re install the original 1.6 (donut) firmware.. be careful! thnx
I’ve got all the informations stated above in the last picture. Does that mean that i’ve Android 2.1 on my Xperia X8?