flashing w518 to w508

[Khigh]

from what I have read, I can flash a w518a to a w508 phone with some minimal differences.
I want I guess just a debranded w508 phone in english with generic features.
I think I am to use a2uploader v5 ?

which files should I choose from the download menus please

and is there some pointers someone should give me ?

[Khigh]

Okay, I must be blind since I cannot figure out how to edit my own posts, so if a mod see's this feel free to delete the upper one.

I thought I'd share my experience with debranding a w518 to a w508 since I couldn't find that much info on this particular phone

What I used:
a2uploader v5
W508_R1EA028_FS_AMERICA_RED53
W508_R1EA028_MAIN_GENERIC_BR_RED53
(I tried a newer version than r1ea028, it didn't seem to make much of a difference both initially are ugly as sin)
and a generic custom pack
W508_1214-0846_R2A_Generic_-_Customer_Services_Worldwide

I installed SEUS (which was difficult for some reason on win7 64 bit it would stall in the driver part of the installation) and ran it once
just to make it connect to my phone to test the drivers.

I wound up rebooting with driver signing off and turning off MSE I have no idea which fixed it, but one of the two seemed to've.

I unzipped all the files
ran a2uploader clicked add
and added the mbn and fbn files
removed the battery from my phone and put it back in
clicked flash
pressed C and held it down while plugging in my USB cable.

it started the reflashing process.

when it completed (it says the elapsed time)
I took my battery in and out again
and started the file system
clicked my way into TPA>PRESET>CUSTOMS in a2uploader
and then dragged customize.xml into that directory in a2uploader.

I then told a2uploader to shut down the file system

and took the battery in and out of my phone again
and turned it on.

Then I had issues with getting my internet and mms settings.
I found my old sony ericsson phone (z750i) and copied its settings verbatim since thats what sonyericsson.com sent to it back when it automatically did this for you.

they are as follows:

go into internet settings make two nearly identical setups

Account type PS data
name it
MEdia Net
apn: wap.cingular.com
username blank
password: blank
login request: off
ip address: blank (...)
dns address: blank (...)
authentication: None, PAP, CHAP
data compression: Off
header compression: off
proxy settings: On, Multiple

under proxy settings:
Proxy:ON
same for all servers: off
proxy servers : Multiple

under proxy servers:
HTTP:
username blank,
passowrd blank,
proxy address wireless.cingular.com
port 80

MEdia Net-2

apn: wap.cingular <--- yes no .com this is the only change between the two
username blank
password: blank
login request: off
ip address: blank (...)
dns address: blank (...)
authentication: None, PAP, CHAP
data compression: Off
header compression: off
proxy settings: On, Multiple

under proxy settings:
Proxy:ON
same for all servers: off
proxy servers : Multiple

under proxy servers:
HTTP:
username blank,
passowrd blank,
proxy address wireless.cingular.com
port 80


okay now in message settings
picture message -

new profile AT&T MMS
message server http://mmsc.cingular.com

connect using MEdia Net-2

Now whats the difference between the w508 and w518:

the w518's limitations were:
Ringtones were locked,
some games were locked out,
internet button was the big round button

the w518 was better in the aspect that it had a GPS and the menu's were way nicer (more or less identical to the z750i)

the w508 does not have a GPS
the menu's aren't as nice, but it allows you to install and add whatever files you want.
I also noted for some reason on my phone the OVER button on the outside walkman player doesn't work right
I am not sure if my phone was broken, and I didn't notice it before I flashed it, or if the flash broke the button.
reflashing it did remove the annoying internet being the middle menu circle.

I attempted to update the firmware by then using SEUS
but SEUS just reflashed it back to the w518a firmware it came with.
so I repeated the process again. :)

[mlm122]

Thanks for those settings. Actually the newest generic firmware for the w508 is R1GA026. I have been looking all over for those files so that I can update with A2 uploader. The pay sites have it, but haven't found it anywhere else. Anybody who does have it, please share :)

[hellomikey]

When I flash my AT&T phone w518 to get to w508, everything works great except that I lose the ability to stream video. Is there some way to work around this? What are the settings?