Debranding & Unlocking S500i

Hi there.

I hope you people can help me out with this SE S500i, though I don't see anyone talking about this model, but I really hope you can help me.

As far as I've read on these forums and others, this model is DB2020 and CID52 which can be patched I think. This phone is only available in one carrier where I live and it's branded, which sucks cause I've seen a video review on YouTube and the PSP like menus where pretty cool. That's one thing of course, cause the whole phone has pictures and logos of the operator, which happens to be one that I don't use nor care about.

I need to re-brand this phone and also unlock it. I know that probably the whole information I need is all over the place on these forums but I need you guys to help me out and point me in the right direction because I'm new at this and there's lots of things I don't understand nor I know what to do. Also, I don't yet have this phone, I'm thinking of getting one, but only if I can re-brand it and unlock it, otherwise I don't have use for it. Also, this may be odd, but I only have like 36 hours to get one, after that time I won't be able to get one... It's an auction and it will be over soon so I need to know if I can do what I want before trying to get it...

So, sorry for the big testament and where should I start? I mean, should the phone be re-branded first and then unlocked or what?

Hello.

Look here you have a guide for xs++:

xs++ 3.1 guide

Here are described custom packs:

CDA

and

Languages

You need to make a full flash ( main, filesystem and custom file ). All files are in download section, but first you read this:

How to get access to download section

Nice day

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Nazgulled

So, sorry for the big testament and where should I start? I mean, should the phone be re-branded first and then unlocked or what?

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Yes! First flash/debrand and then patch unlocking

Thank you but I have a few questions:

1) Let's say I do all that, unbrand the phone and unlock it. What if SE releases a new firmware and I have SEUS installed and use it to updated to that new firmware. What will happen? Is the phone going to remain unbranded and unlocked? Maybe just one of them? Will it be updated at all? What will happen and why?

2) I know there are some situations, flashing the phone, that will loose all my settings (I know I can backup text messages, notes, appointments, etc...) I just want to know in which situation am I at risk of loosing those things (so I know when should I backup so I can easily restore them).

3) What about games, applications, flash themes and the like... In the same situation has #2, will they be lost too? Is there a way to back them up?

4) It seems there are lots of people flashing their S500 to the W580. Can anyone point every little new function one would get by doing that and every little function one would loose (something that S500 might have that W580 won't?).

Flash S500 To W580 Tutorial

Nice day

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jasmin

Flash S500 To W580 Tutorial

Nice day

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I didn't ask for a tutorial on how to convert the S500 to the W580, I've already seen that guide long time ago... That doesn't answer any of my 4 questions!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Nazgulled

Thank you but I have a few questions:

1) Let's say I do all that, unbrand the phone and unlock it. What if SE releases a new firmware and I have SEUS installed and use it to updated to that new firmware. What will happen? Is the phone going to remain unbranded and unlocked? Maybe just one of them? Will it be updated at all? What will happen and why?

2) I know there are some situations, flashing the phone, that will loose all my settings (I know I can backup text messages, notes, appointments, etc...) I just want to know in which situation am I at risk of loosing those things (so I know when should I backup so I can easily restore them).

3) What about games, applications, flash themes and the like... In the same situation has #2, will they be lost too? Is there a way to back them up?

4) It seems there are lots of people flashing their S500 to the W580. Can anyone point every little new function one would get by doing that and every little function one would loose (something that S500 might have that W580 won't?).

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Can anyone please enlighten me on this? I would appreciate it...

SEUS will mostly fail !! coz i hv tested this ;)

dude don't worry you won't loose anything. .. make backup off stuff using My phone Exp thing

when FS is flashed ... of course everything is cleared.. same applies for windows xp.. format new File system is created ..

Dude the S500 flashing guide is authored by me !! i bet you will love your phone drop dead after flashing to w580i !!

There is nothing to loose .. just go and flash it to w580i !! you will get lots of features instead. I promise you won't loose anything !!

The theme which will be cleared can be installed back again.

i hope i made your life easy ;)

best regards , akshay !

Quote:

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Originally Posted by akshayy

SEUS will mostly fail !! coz i hv tested this ;)

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What if SE releases new firmwares? We have to wait some has access to the FS/MAIN files and share them with Top Sony (or another place)?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by akshayy

dude don't worry you won't loose anything. .. make backup off stuff using My phone Exp thing

when FS is flashed ... of course everything is cleared.. same applies for windows xp.. format new File system is created ..

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I got it... so, how do I backup games, applications and stuff like that? I believe these things can not be backed up with My Phone Explorer??

Quote:

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Originally Posted by akshayy

Dude the S500 flashing guide is authored by me !! i bet you will love your phone drop dead after flashing to w580i !!

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There is nothing to loose .. just go and flash it to w580i !! you will get lots of features instead. I promise you won't loose anything !![/quote]
But I'm not sure I want to flash the S500 to the W580... You say I'll get lots of features, can you list them?

you can compare from mobile review. you will get walkman 2 player, fitness app, calorie meter etc.. !! i dunno much !

if games are that important .. then don't flash at all...!! common.. you can get games easily again .. don't you have the java installer !

Check Is Out Link

Quote:

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Originally Posted by akshayy

you can compare from mobile review. you will get walkman 2 player, fitness app, calorie meter etc.. !! i dunno much !

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That's almost entirely wrong... Yes, I know I can get the walkman 2 player but that's not enough for me to upgrade, I want the phone to make calls and text, for music, I have an mp3 player, I might use the phone to hear music sporadically, so, walkman 1.x is fine I guess... But the fitness app, calorie, all that... it doesn't matter if the software is there, the hardware is not... So, just walkman and I guess I would get track id (I don't even know what that is) for flashing it to the w580, are not enough features and are not features I really care to flash it. So, if there are any other features one would get and you know them, please state them...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by akshayy

if games are that important .. then don't flash at all...!! common.. you can get games easily again .. don't you have the java installer !

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I know I can get games easily, but I would scores and all that... They are not very important, I don't really game on the mobile, just when I'm bored waiting for something and have nothing else to do... It was nice if we could back them up to keep scores and saves and all that, but if it's not, ok... I just wanted to know.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bolokia

Check Is Out Link

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Uh?

The S500i now comes with the Walkman 2.0 player, it says so on the sony ericsson site.

To unbrand the phone, use XS++

And you will need a FS, MAIN and the Custpack for the S500i.
Download these:

S500_R8BA024_FS_EUROPE_2_RED52

S500_R8BA024_MAIN_GENERIC_LY_RED52

And find a Custpack for your region.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by shinigamib

The S500i now comes with the Walkman 2.0 player, it says so on the sony ericsson site.

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How do you know for sure? I mean, how do you know it's not just a typo?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by shinigamib

To unbrand the phone, use XS++

And you will need a FS, MAIN and the Custpack for the S500i.
Download these:

S500_R8BA024_FS_EUROPE_2_RED52

S500_R8BA024_MAIN_GENERIC_LY_RED52

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I'm from Portugal, shouldn't I get the EUROPE_1 instead? According to Top Sony - Languages Description I should get the EUROPE_1...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by shinigamib

And find a Custpack for your region.

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This thing always bothered me... Why do I need to get a custompack? Most people told me I could do it with XS++ according to this image:
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/g...ed_umer/09.png

True or not?

1) Im positive that the new stock S500i have a walkman 2.0 player.
2) Im not sure about that language thingy, mayb ask other people for that, im from Aus and people say i should use the Europe 2 but i can only find the Europe 1.
3) Ill check on that XS++ thing.

1) What do you mean by "new"? Latest firmware? Latest models being released to the market? How do I know if a phone (without turning it on) is a new stock S500i or not?

2) You mean Australia or Austria? I don't think it does really matter for you... You speak what there, English? French? (I suppose one of them). If it's english, you could use any EUROPE one, if it's french, you could use any EUROPE one besides the 5.

3) Ok, report back please when you know something...

is the step counter can be run on S500 after flash to W580?

Nope, the S500 doesn't have the hardware for it...

How can i check if i got the walkman 2.0 player on my s500i? i think i got or at least it sure does look the same as on the w580

And how can i check if my phone if branded?

im all kinda new at this tbh

Quote:

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And how can i check if my phone if branded?

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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 Sony Ericsson - Sony Ericsson

select Region ---> Country ---> Support ---> PHONE SETUP

Nice day

Quote:

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Originally Posted by shinigamib

1) Im positive that the new stock S500i have a walkman 2.0 player.
2) Im not sure about that language thingy, mayb ask other people for that, im from Aus and people say i should use the Europe 2 but i can only find the Europe 1.
3) Ill check on that XS++ thing.

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Really? i checked the site and it didn't say.
So umm..to get it on my current S500i ive had for bout 5 months now..i'd just run the updater thing and i'd get walkman 2.0 on it, without flashing to w580i and getting useless software?
ty~! in advnace =]