- Sony Ericsson Phone Modding and Flashing
What is phone modding and why would I do it?
Phone Modding is a process where you modify your phone software or tweak it to do various things. Some of them are listed below-
- If you think your Sony Ericsson (SE)stock default phone volume is too low.
- If you think your software is messed up and dont have the time to give the phone away and pay a lot of money
- If you want to turn your normal phone into an Ipod with Loud Mega Bass settings, change the walkman interface, skins which you usually cannot do normally
- If you want cool moving flash themes or like a dice wallpaper which rolls the dice when you shake it or changes wallpaper (some phones only)
- If you want to change the appearance of the boring default menu
- If you want to change the drivers of the camera for better performance
- If you want to change the boring old font to a sexy new font
- If you want to change the layout of the standby page
- Change the battery icon / startup shutdown screens
Step 1: Identify your phone and its screen resolution
There are two types of phones normal phones
Normal phones include k530 k550 k610 k770 k790 k800 k810 and w580 w610 w660 w710 w830 w850 w880 etc.
A2 phones: C510, C702, C901, C902, C903, C905, G905, G705, K630, K660, K850, K858, T700, TM506, V640, W595, W705, W715, W760, W890, W902, W908, W910, W980, Z750, Z770, Z780
You need to find out the CID version also. You can find this on normal phones by the secret service menu. Go to your Standby (Normal) screen.
- Use the directional/joystick keys press the RIGHT key. Dont worry about what appears just keep pressing those buttons.
- Press * key
- Press left, again left
- Press * key one last time
- You will see a menu with the first option Service info. Read everything and check the software version CID (49,51,52,53 etc) and the branding – RED etc, ASIA , AMERICA etc. If you cant find those extra options no need to worry continue.
- TIP: The menu above will help you determine if everything on your phone is working well or not.
If the above method does not work: (A2 phones) Follow the procedure to install A2 Uploader in case of A2 phone or XS++ in case of other phone) you should see something like 
Here the Flash CID (here 52) and RED DB 31XX(3150) are to be noted. Please skip ahead if you dont understand and come back
2.I know my phone. Now the software
Basically the best tools or the ones ill be using here will be A2Uploader for my G502 A2 phone. alternatively you can use XS++ 3.1. The interface differs a little bit but the principle is the same
Download Links:
1. XS++ 3.1 for non A2 phones: http://www.4shared.com/file/31320268/de535436/XS_version_31.html
2. A2 Uploader for A2 phones: http://www.4shared.com/file/78355548/7d06473a/A2_Uploader_V3.html
3.FAR Manager + JD Flasher: http://www.4shared.com/file/57668515/2faa8be8/Far_Manager__JDFlasher_T6__CID.html
Choose 1. If you only wish to flash or modify your file system. Pathching can also be done. This might not be able to READ (Backup the data on the phone out to your computer)
Choose 2. If you have an A2 Phone. (You can try 3 also)
Choose 3. If you are advanced. FAR Manager is by far the best but has a crappy interface.You need to know what you are doing.
3. The Risks
- If you flash the wrong firmware files, the phone may give an error starting up but it CAN BE FIXED
- If you screw with the GDFS part of the phone. You die.Nothing can be done
- If you do not backup the files and you want them back its your responsibility.
- Flashing causes all contacts ,data,apps on the phone to be erased. So be careful
- Wrong driver files like the wrong camera drivers might give an error while starting or the wrong acoustics might cause high volume distortition , no volume from the headset etc.
- I think you lose the warranty once you mess with the file system
4. ” I AGREE” Lets start
After downloading one of the files above, Unzip everything somewhere. Install the two files in case of A2 phones.
In case you get errors or your phone is not detected see http://cshared.com/sony-ericsson-usb-flash-driver-installation/ If that fails too http://www.x-drivers.com/catalog/flash/mobile_phones/companies/sony_ericsson/models/seus/7572.html. Download and run the SEUS (Sony Ericsson Update tool). Remember it HAS to be detected.
5. Browsing the file system
Now get your USB DATA CABLE. Lets start.
- Turn off your phone. Remove the battery and put it back in
- Plug the USB end of the USB data cable into the computer
- Now here pay attention. Hold the “C” button on normal phones OR (2 or 5 key on A2) and connect the other end of the cable to the mobile. Dont Let go of ‘C’ till the driver is installed.
- You should see a “New Hardware detected ” Message. On Vista and Seven this should be installed automatically through windows update. It takes time. Else on Windows Xp if it gives the “Found new hardware” wizard. Say No Windows Update this time, Install from specified location and point it to the downloaded and unzipped version of (http://www.akshayy.com/sonyericsson/wp-content/uploads/usbimages.zip)
- After It gives an installed successfully confirmation start up A2 Uploader or XS++. Im using A2 here. Click the File System button on the right and press enter.

Before connecting
Here 1.Option in the figure above is used for Flashing new firmware files. 2. For browsing and editing the filesystem installed. 3. Is used for patching or scripts (advanced) & Identify the device 4. Is used to stop when you are finished with everything. Remember to press that before you disconnect.
You should see this after you connect

After connecting
In the above diagram: 1. Shows you the filesystem. 2.Is showing you that the flash memory driver is installed (Win 7)
3. Tells you the processes taking place and device info.
Congratulations you know how to browse the filesystem now.
6. Backing Up Files.
- Please remember to do this as you are eventually going to mess up something later.
- On the five folders – the /tpa , /sys, /boot, /ifs etc. Right click each one and select the READ option. It takes a lot of time but please do this. It will backup all the contents to your hard drive where the A2 uploader program resides so you can restore the files without having to flash the whole thing again.
- If you do mess up and you cant get out of it flashing with new firmware is the only option

7. Installing New Files
The procedure varies depending on the file you wish to transfer
For Flash wallpapers:
A) Download the right size. Check your cellphone screen resoultion in the specs and download those resolution wallpapers. For sample Ive downloaded the Blue Evolution theme (G502 ModPack) from http://i-sony-ericsson.blogspot.com/. A Mod Pack is one where everything Fonts – Layouts – Wallpapers – Acoustics are already customized for your phone into one ZIP file
B) To install Remember you should have two files for a flash menu. The .SWF (flash file) and the .THM file

On the right File System Browser Panel Navigate to tpa/Preset/System/Desktop/Flash manually. This is where all the flash swf files go. Not the .thm files. Open the other file you want to copy in my computer elsewhere. Then DRAG the file into the window. It will get copied or replaced. Then do the same for the corresponding .thm file. You have a new flash wallpaper!
Similarly for
Flash Menu:
thm > tpa/user/themes
swf > tpa/preset/system/desktop/flash
Acoustic:
ifs/settings/acoustic
Camdriver:
ifs/settings/camera
Displaydriver:
ifs/settings/display
Startup:
tpa/preset/system/settings
Softkey:
tpa/preset/custom
Fonts:
tpa/preset/system/fonts
Slang:
tpa/preset/system/language
Customization:
tpa/preset/custom
LightEffect:
tpa/system/lighteffect/systemeffect
Layout:
tpa/system/layout
Sidebar:
Dispose of an entire folder to the memory card as storage. Then, to set the sidebar, find the file on the phone. Swf, press Options> Set As> Wallpaper. I have SideBar
Frames:
tpa/preset/system/multimedia/pe/frames
Clipart:
tpa/preset/system/multimedia/pe/clipart
Funlayer:
tpa/preset/system/multimedia/pe/funlayer
Motyw:
tpa/user/themes
Menu:
tpa/preset/system/menu
jjpatcher:
tpa/user/other
Patches:
tpa/user/other/patches
There. You know how to add new files.

This is what the final result is
A few Links are here.Check them according to your phone.
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Iphone theme – http://rapidshare.com/files/141706256/Iphone_y_Fast_Food_Flash_2.0_By_Lagunalor.rar
Man U theme – http://rapidshare.com/files/135217807/Smiley_Funny-V2___Manchester_United_By_Lagunalor.rar
Walkman Dance – http://rapidshare.com/files/153124842/Walkman_Dance_Duo.Flash_2.0_By_Lagunalor.rar
Purple Sky – http://rapidshare.com/files/153773700/Bronzy_y_Purple_Sky.rar
Ubuntu pack/Linkin park – http://walkmans.wordpress.com/category/240×320/
Acoustics Packs – http://www.4shared.com/dir/5108371/7acde666/Acoustics.html
CamDriver – http://www.4shared.com/dir/2812893/b660e3b7/Camera.html
Any other stuff – http://www.4shared.com/dir/2730556/43f8e259/sharing.html
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Facebook Phishing Scam
Facebook Phishing Scam-
Phishing as wikipedia defines it:
“Phishing is the criminally fraudulent process of attempting to acquire sensitive information such as usernames, passwords and credit card details by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication.”
Great now that you know phishing, There are virulent applications on Facebook that pick up your facebook information such as photos,friends etc and other sensitive information you might have. Basically your photos. They can manipulate them, sell them do all sorts of crap with it.
Many of you might have noticed that you get shit notifications like -” X has just commented on a photo of you.” when they really have not. It looks genuine with the photo icon too. When you click it though, it redirects you to an application permission page. Like the one below
Here you can see the page has a wierd suspicious application name – PhotAs or Phatos, or Photo comments whatever might even say photos.
Please Please do not allow it access. You are allowing the hacker access. Click on leave application. There is actually no comment. If you allow it they will steal all your photos and send wierd notifications to your friends.
If you have not clicked on one but you still get notifications dont panic. Ignore them.
If you have added the application by mistake – On the bottom of your facebook page click on the blue “applications” tab. -> Edit applications – > Select show – Authorised / Granted special permissions. Check the names of those apps. If you find a funny name , delete it.
Also one more thing.
” PLEASE DO NOT DISPLAY YOUR BIRTHDATE ON YOUR PROFILE”
Many credit card companies / email accounts require you to enter your birthdate for verification for lost password. Use privacy settings. Food for thought.
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