How to Root SONY Xperia RAY on Official ICS 4.0.4 Firmware – Tutorial
SONY unveils ICS Android 4.0.4 Firmware across many countries and in the due course of this article we will be checking out on how you can root the same so that once the custom ROM firmwares starts coming in, the same can be installed instantly. Also, you can install the apps which need the root access. So, in the due course of this article we will be checking out on how you can Root SONY Xperia RAY smartphone with the help of simple steps. If possible we will also try our level best to come up with an article which will help you to revert back to the official firmware update. The ICS 4.0.4 firmware hasn’t been rolled out all over the Globe, but for all those who have already got this update can proceed and root their devices.
Rooting Information: Once the device is rooted, warranty will get void. The only way with which the warranty can be reclaimed is by re applying the official update of ICS 4.0.4 firmware update.
Disclaimer: We should not be held liable for any damage caused in the process of updating SONY Xperia RAY. It is very unlikely that your device will be damaged if you follow all the instructions to the point which are mentioned in procedure.
Note: If your device is on the Gingerbread or ICS 4.0.3 firmware then this rooting process won’t be working as there are different procedures of rooting across different firmwares. You can check your current firmware from the path “Settings > About phone” where it should show the current firmware as ICS 4.0.4 firmware.
Let’s proceed to the next step where we have summed up detailed instructions on what are the pre requisites.
Express Pre Requisites:
- All the data present in your SONY Xperia RAY like SMS Contacts, Call Log, Images, Music and other core data manually with the help of below mentioned instructions. Don’t use PC Companion to back up the data as it may or may not detect the device.
SMS – Use “SMS Backup & Restore app”,
Contacts – Sync with the Gmail application,
Call Log -Call Log and Restore
Images, Songs, Videos, Files – Copy to internal / External SD Card,
APN and MMS Settings – Note down from the path “Applications > Settings > Wireless and Network > Mobile Networks > Access Point Names”
- Go to settings > Security > Mark “Unknown sources” and ensure that its ticked. Up next enable the USB Debugging from the path “Settings > Developer options > Mark USB debugging” and also you need to enable the MSC Mode from the path “Settings > Xperia > connectivity > USB connection mode > select MSC mode”.
- Minimum battery level should be 50% so as to ensure that Xperia RAY doesn’t get turned Off in the process of rooting process. Last but not the least, ensure that all the security suites are uninstalled successfully or disabled completely as these tools may hamper the process of rooting process.
So assuming that you are done with all the above mentioned instructions, you can now proceed to the next page where we have summed up a detailed tutorial on how to root the device.
Pages: Part 1 Part 2
Comments (43)
Friends call him Droid Geek because he tries out different ROM’s everyday and helps droid users experience better features on their devices. Add +Neal Pradeep on Google Plus for more Updates.
how much time will it take to boot after flashing??? i’ve waited for more than 20 mins and it doesn’t start.
and by the way….. nice tutorial really
Followed instructions, doesn’t do anything.
Stops with the message for 2011 devices line, be sure you are not in MTP mode.
I am sure I am not in MTP mode, I followed the steps before trying it.
The onscreen instructions…
1. unplug device
2. power off device
3. press back button (the ray doesn’t have a physical back button but pressed it anyway and held it)
4. plug the usb cable
after those 4 steps nothing but the info message about mtp mode
press volume down button instead
nop, didn’t work
i’ve tried it but still nothing happened… :/
I get a message just after hitting OK on FlashTools telling me to unplug my device, turn it off, hold the back button and plug it in again. When I try this, absolutely nothing happens. The phone just says it’s charging and the computer doesn’t know it’s there. Any ideas?
i found out that my xperia ray version is 4.1B.0.431 instead of 4.1.A.0.562
how cant i root my phone now? please help me
you can try out these instructions
does this only apply to LT8i
Wt happens if I don’t have photos And bAck up my contacts on a backup contact app
Does this effect the rooting process
Pls reply!!
Wt happens if I don’t have photos And bAck up my contacts on a backup contact app
Does this effect the rooting process
Pls reply!!
Wt if I delete my pics and
Restore my contacts on another app
Please reply!!!
you can do the same, you can use different apps
hi, I have installed ICS 4.0.4 using PC companion. But I wanted to try CM 9 or 10. But using custom ROMs means flashing and wiping all of my data. Now, I am not worried about apps but i need my app data. For that, the only software i got is Titanium back up which needs rooting. So what was my plan is, first root then Backup and then install CM. But in this process for rooting, One need to flash GB or 4.0.3 (as i saw in another forum) which will wipe my apps( i think ! ). So I am confused about what to do.
Plz help.
SE Xperia Ray (ST18i) Version – 4.0.4
hey dude thanks for the tutorial, after following all the instructions, when i plug in the cable, my phone shows green light and i’ve waited for 30+ mins but it still doesnt start, you should mention approximately how much time would it take
my screen has been showwing a black screen for over 10 minutes now is this normal ?
what can i do
yes its normal
so actually how long it takes?
it takes no more than 5 minutes
Hi Pradeep
As per your earlier posts, i have re-inserted the battery and reapplied the flashing method. But still the phone is not getting rebooted. Any clue what should i do?
Regards – Vijay
just unmount and mount the sd card
Were you able to reboot the phone by re-inserting the battery and reapplying the flash?
yes you can very well re apply the update
already waiting for almost 2 hours, black screen continues …
how long is normal?
just re insert the battery and re apply the update
Hi,
You said: “After this all you need to do is to just follow the on screen instructions.” The on screen instruction told me to
1. Unplug the device
2. Power off the device
3. Press the back button and hold it
4. And plug the usb.
I can’t do the step 3 as Sony Xperia Ray isn’t a back button? but a touch sensitivity back button?
Please kindly advise.
Thank You for your time.
i did’nt understand the steps after pressing OK what should i do with the back button,my black button is touch it can not be pressed
i did’nt understand the steps after pressing OK what should i do with the back button,my back button is touch it can not be pressed
Press the volume down button instead of back. Good luck!
Very well written tutorial! Found it very useful cheers!
xperia ray using customers try flash tool folder must install drivers Flashtool-drivers.exe must install
and then power off and volume down key long press and usb connect its work
I have a 4.1.B.0.587 kernel. How do I root?
You Can Press Volume Up Button instead of Back Button
I’ve just followed the instructions and flashtool told me everything is fine.
Phone got flashed with kernel and rooted successfully.
after restarting my phone, the applications told me “Your phone is NOT rooted”
So it doesnt work for me.
When i use google to find tutorials for root, everybody tells me that direct root isnt possible for ICS 4.0.4 so how do you think about that?
Hey guys… Need some help here. I tried flashing, did everything right but my phone is still not rooted. I have tried rooting it several times but still negative results. Below is what I get…. But still no success…
05/033/2012 12:33:42 – INFO – <- This level is successfully initialized
05/033/2012 12:33:42 – INFO – Flashtool Version 0.9.8.0 built on 2012-10-01 19:35:32
05/033/2012 12:33:42 – INFO – You can drag and drop ftf files here to start flashing them
05/033/2012 12:33:47 – INFO – Device disconnected
05/035/2012 12:35:11 – INFO – Selected ST18i_4.1.B.0.587_Kernel.ftf
05/035/2012 12:35:11 – INFO – Preparing files for flashing
05/035/2012 12:35:11 – INFO – Please connect your device into flashmode.
05/035/2012 12:35:15 – INFO – Device connected in flash mode
05/035/2012 12:35:16 – INFO – Opening device for R/W
05/035/2012 12:35:16 – INFO – Reading device information
05/035/2012 12:35:16 – INFO – Phone ready for flashmode operations.
05/035/2012 12:35:16 – INFO – Start Flashing
05/035/2012 12:35:16 – INFO – Processing loader
05/035/2012 12:35:16 – INFO – Checking header
05/035/2012 12:35:16 – INFO – Flashing data
05/035/2012 12:35:19 – INFO – Loader : S1_Loader_Root_773f – Version : R4A066 / Bootloader status : ROOTABLE
05/035/2012 12:35:19 – INFO – Processing kernel.sin
05/035/2012 12:35:19 – INFO – Checking header
05/035/2012 12:35:19 – INFO – Flashing data
05/035/2012 12:35:21 – INFO – Ending flash session
05/035/2012 12:35:21 – INFO – Flashing finished.
05/035/2012 12:35:21 – INFO – Please unplug and start your phone
05/035/2012 12:35:21 – INFO – For flashtool, Unknown Sources and Debugging must be checked in phone settings
05/035/2012 12:35:22 – INFO – Device connected in flash mode
the same problem((
same results
Same :’(
Hello
I have a Sony xperia RAY it is simlock I can not use another sim card. It is locked to telenor sweden. is there any solution?? Please help
what if I want to go back to stock ics 4.0.4? how? im afraid of rooting my phone because i may destroy it or i may not be able to use it.
i did the instructions very carefully. nothing happened. my phone is still not rooted.
I tried the instructions step by step, but nothing worked!
it is NOT possible to downgrade the firmware from 4.1.B.0.587 to 4.1.A.0.562
useless…getting same shytz as boyz above(or belov).everything is sooo ok,but my phone is still unrooted.thru service code i can se my phone is rootable,but this is not working at all.