For those of you who love customizing your Android devices, a locked bootloader is a problem. You can’t easily root your device or install all of the custom ROMs. But when there’s a will, there’s a way and the Android development community is full of will. Thanks to the guys from XDA-Developers, there is now a way to unlock the Sony Xperia S’ Bootloader. Read on to learn how.
Overview
The Sony Xperia S is a great device but users and developers are turned off by the fact that it has a locked Bootloader. Fortunately, XDA developer member DooMLoRD was able to do away with this problem. DooMLoRD was able to devise a guide to unlock the Bootloader of Sony Xperia S. The guide was developed from lollylost100′s guide for unlocking the Xperia Arc’s Bootloader.
This guide has been tested and as far as issues and problems are concerned, there is nothing to be worried about. So if you want to install customs ROMs to your phone, you better unlock its Bootloader now. Here are the requirements and instructions that you should follow.
Requirements
- A Sony Xperia S LT26i with unlockable bootloader. To check if your phone’s bootloader is unlockable, do the following:
- Open the dialer app on your phone.
- Dial
*#*#7378423#*#* (or *#*#service#*#*) on your phone. This brings up the service menu.
- Go to Service info > Configuration > Rooting Status. Find the item for “Bootloader unlock allowed”. If the item is missing, or if its value is “No,” DO NOT continue with the rest of this guide.
- Your phone’s IMEI code. Dial
*#06# on your phone and write down your phone’s IMEI number.
- A Windows PC
- WinRAR or a similar RAR archive extraction program
- Backup all personal data on your phone to make sure you have a copy of your personal data (e.g., contacts, SMS, MMS, Internet settings, Wi-Fi passwords, and the like) in case the procedure in this guide erases such data.
-
- Make sure that your battery has at least 50% to avoid interruption due to power loss.
- Download the Fastboot package with USB drivers (fastboot_with_Android_USB_file.rar, 6.2 MB) to your computer.
Disclaimer
- The instructions in this guide are intended for use with the Sony Xperia S, model number LT26i. Applying these instructions on another device or model may produce undesired outcomes.
- The information in this guide is provided for instructional and educational purposes only. There is no guarantee that these instructions will work under your specific and unique circumstances.
- Use these instructions at your own risk. We shall not hold any responsibility or liability for whatever happens to you or your device arising from your use of the info in this guide.
- Read and understand the whole guide first before actually performing the instructions.
Instructions
- Extract the Fastboot package and USB drivers to a folder on your computer. You may put it on your Desktop for convenience.
- Turn off your phone.
- Connect one end of the USB cable to the computer.
- Reboot your phone in Fastboot Mode by holding down the Volume Up button as you connect the other end of the USB cable to your phone.
- Windows will automatically start the installation of drivers. If Windows asks for the location of the drivers, just direct it to the usb_driver folder where you extracted the Fastboot package to.
- Unplug the USB cable once the installation is done.
- Open http://unlockbootloader.sonymobile.com/ on your computer’s Web browser.
- Read and follow the instructions until you reach the “Create Unlock Request” page.
- Input your IMEI, your name, and your email address.
- Once you submit the form, you will receive your unique unlock key. It will also be shown on the screen. Save the unique unlock key.
- Open a command prompt on your computer.
- Change directory to the Fastboot folder that you extracted earlier.
- Put your phone in Fastboot Mode (as in steps 2 to 4).
- Verify that your computer can properly communicate with your phone in Fastboot Mode. Enter the following at the command prompt:
fastboot.exe -i 0x0fce getvar version
- If the command above results in “0.5″, then you may continue.
- Unlock your phone’s bootloader with the following command (where
KEYis the unique unlock key you received from Sony):
fastboot.exe -i 0x0fce oem unlock 0xKEY
Congratulations! You’ve successfully unlocked the bootloader of your Sony Xperia S LT26i. Customizing your device just the way you like it is now possible.
