SonyEricsson Hardware and Firmware Definitions!

Author: louis*cyphre

CID = This "number" defines the version of SE's protection present in the phone.New CIDs are deployed from time to time, for the sole reason of preventing them from beeing unlocked/flashed/tampered with by non-SE service tools. Current CIDs in use by SE are 29/36/37/49/51. SE-based LG/Sharp phones use the same system (but different versions). The OTP (One Time Programmable memory) and EROM of a phone might be protected by different CIDs, usually the case in newer K600s/K608s.

CDA = This "number" defines which variant of a specific firmware a phone is supposed to have.It lets among others SEUS (Sony Ericsson Update Service) know which language-pack/branding/bandlocks a phone is to be flashed with. A generic (unbranded) K750 for use in Scandinavia will be CDA102337/12, whilst a Telenor-branded K750 will be CDA102338/62. Both will be flashed with the same languages/dictionaries, but the latter will be flashed with Telenor-branded firmware.

BLUE/BROWN/RED:This "color" defines what kind of phone we are dealing with.BLUE phones has been assembled at the factory, but never been programmed with software/GDFS/IMEI (remember kids: the IMEI is stored in the OTP (One Time Programmable memory))BROWN phones are "developer phones", for testing. Less restrictions are present, as these are used for "debugging/beta" purposes. As of CID36, a phone has to be converted to BROWN to unlock it.RED phones are your typical retail ones.

GDFS:This is the phones "stash", where all settings and calibration data is stored (this also goes for the firmwares IMEI-resource as well as the SIMlocks). Similar to other brands use of NVRAM (Non-Viotile Random Access Memory).

IMEI = International Mobile Equipment Identity.A 15-digit number which includes information on the origin, model, and serial number of the device. The model and origin comprise the initial 8-digit portion of the IMEI, known as the "Type Allocation Code/TAC". The remainder of the IMEI is manufacturer-defined, with a "Luhn check digit" at the end (which is never transmitted). The "Luhn check digit" is calculated from the rest of the IMEI.
It should be noted that in SE-based phones, the IMEI is stored in two places, the OTP (One Time Programmable memory) and GDFS. The GDFS IMEI is normally read from the OTP, but this can be circumvented by SETool function to "change" the IMEI. This patches the firmware into allowing different OTP/GDFS IMEIs. It is the GDFS IMEI that is reported to the network, so changing this will "de-bar" blocked phones. SEUS is not fooled by this, on the other hand, and it should also be noted that doing this is illegal in most countries.

EMMA = Service software/solution by SE themselves. Protected by the EMMA smartcard to prevent non-licensed usage. Current version is EMMA3, though EMMA2 is still alive (but kinda useless on newer phones). The EMMA smartcard contains an algorithm that allows EMMA to communicate directly to/with the phones CID, so performing operations the way they were intended. The smartcard and its algorithm has not been cracked. Current EMMA access levels exists:Service Update - Can't unlock phones.Service Update Pro - Can't unlock phones.Network Operator - Can't unlock phones (but sure as hell can lock them ).Service Center Std - Can't unlock phones.Service Center Rc - Can unlock phones, as they have a special version of the smartcard with a CSCA key.Research & Development - Can unlock phones, as they have a special version of the smartcard with a CSCA key.

DB2000, DB2010, DB2020 = SEMC (Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications) hardware platforms. It's something similar to chipset in PC.DB2000 (another name is Marita) is a GSM+3G(UMTS) capable platform, SE K600/K608/V600/Z800/W900, Sharp 802sh, 902sh, 903sh and LG 3G phones are based on it.DB2010/2012 (Marita compact) is GSM-only, non-3G, platform. Most not very old and modern SE phones like K300,K500,K700,K750,S700,W300,W550,W800,Z520,Z530 are based on this chipset.DB2020 is the newest product of SEMC. K800, K790, K610, Z710 etc, Sharp 904sh feature this most secure (from SE's point of view) platform.

EROM = Extended ROM. This is the base part of the software which isn't flashed in normal update operations. It controls the flashing interface, the boot loader, etc.

FOTA = Flash Over The Air. The Sony Ericsson Remote Update Service is a convenient way to easily and remotely update your mobile phone to the latest available software version. This is done over the air; no connection to a PC is needed. The cost for using Sony Ericsson Remote Update Service is your operator's fee for transferring the data to your phone. This varies widely between different operators; if you are uncertain you should contact your operator. User content in the phone, such as images, music, ringtones and videos, is not affected by the update.

Customization = Changing or replacing original content of the phone, like ringtones, wallpapers, icons, themes, that come with branded or unbranded phones. It's nothing more than first default configuring of the phone after flashing FS file. Usually the process is:
1. Writing customize.xml and server&java certificates in tpa/preset/custom in sonics folder to tpa/presest/custom folder in the phone's internal file system
2. When the phone starts after flashing, it parses that xml file, puts settings written in that xml into the phone's gdfs and works out certificates (some go to Trusted certificates, some got Java certificate etc)
If you open customize.xml you can change almost any initial settings like time zone, date, internet profiles etc.

Branded Phones = Some network providers place their own ringtones, themes, icons, links etc within phone's software. (eg. vodafone, orange, t-mobie, rogers, cingular etc.) Debranding means removing all this content and restoring phone to it's original factory SONYERICSSON condition. This will not damage phone in any way! You will loose Operator Icons, and links, WAP, and MMS settings however these you can get via http://www.sonyericsson.com/spg.jsp?...=pg&tl=support
select Region ---> Country ---> Support ---> PHONE SETUP

Finalization = Completing flashing operations and storing basic settings that phone needs to properly operate [i.e. security certificates, (and this is why phone displays "configuration error" if it is not properly done)].

Firmware has two parts:
1. FS: It contains languages, images, sounds, animations, settings, etc. Anything that isn't pure software.
2. Main: It contains the software.

Note: MAIN and FS HAVE to be the same software version
MAIN R1BC002
FS R1BC002
Customization has to be same region as FS, in this case
FS = EU5 (EUROPE_5)
Customization =CDA102338/50 ( EUROPE_5 Sunrise Switzerland)

This sticky now Closed!