[Guide] How to root the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10

The Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 features a 4.0 inch display, 1GB of internal storage expandable via microSD, an 8 megapixel camera capable of 720p HD video, and is powered by a 1GHz processor with 384MB of RAM.

Important — Please Read Before You Begin

This guide is specifically aimed at users of the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10i. X10a users require additional steps — check XDA Developers for a guide specific to your device.

Follow each step carefully. This guide cannot be held responsible for any damage caused to your device. Rooting is not recommended by Sony Ericsson, and the manufacturer will likely void your warranty and take no responsibility for any damage that results.

Step 1 — Download the Required Files

You will need two packages before you begin. Download both of the following:

ROOT_F2v1

The root package. Download from either mirror:

RapidShare Mirror
Hotfile Mirror

i_R1FA16_ft

The flash tool package. Download from:

Hotfile Mirror

Step 2 — Enter Flash Mode

Switch off your X10i, then hold the Back Button and connect your device to the PC via USB. The SEUS driver will install automatically.

Step 3 — Find Your Device ID

You need your device ID before proceeding. There are two ways to find it.

Method 1 — Registry

Press Windows Key + R, type regedit and navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\USB\VID_0FCE&PID_ADDE

You will see a number like 5&3********0&3. Copy one of the entries.

Method 2 — Flash Tool

Open the i_R1FA16_ft folder and run 1st.cmd. A popup window will display your device ID in the same format. Copy one of the numbers shown.

Steps 4–7 — Configure the Device ID

1. Open the i_R1FA16_ft folder, go into Step 1 and open DeviceID.txt.
2. Replace the existing number with the device ID you copied.
3. Copy the updated DeviceID.txt and paste it into the Step 2 and Step 3 folders, both found inside the ROOT_F2v1 folder.

Steps 8–11 — Flash the Firmware

1. Switch off your phone, disconnect the USB cable, and remove the battery for at least 5 seconds.
2. Open the i_R1FA16_ft folder, navigate to Step 1, and run X10flash.bat. A command prompt will appear with the message: "Please connect X10 in flash mode. Press any key to continue."
3. Reinsert the battery, hold the Back key, and connect the cable to your PC. When the green indicator light turns on, press Enter in the command prompt and wait for it to complete. Close the prompt when done.
4. Disconnect the cable and switch the phone on. Note: the phone will not power on while the cable is connected.

Steps 12–14 — Root the Device

1. Enable USB Debugging on your phone — this is required to proceed.
   Menu → Settings → Applications → Development → USB Debugging
   Reconnect the USB cable once enabled.
2. Run Step2.cmd from the ROOT_F2v1 folder. On your phone, select the sixth option: Update from SD card. Do not close the command prompt. A Processing message will appear on the phone. Once it disappears and the option buttons are enabled, close the command prompt — but do not press any buttons on the phone. It will restart automatically, up to 4 times, before rebooting normally.
3. Run Step3.cmd from the ROOT_F2v1 folder and let it run until the phone reboots.

Once complete, check About Phone in settings. The build number will show R2BA020 and you will have full root access with the latest Sony Ericsson firmware installed.

Your X10i Has Been Successfully Rooted

• Build number should now read R2BA020
• Full root access is now enabled
• Firmware has been updated to the latest version from Sony Ericsson

Troubleshooting

Error — Unable to open channel (GetLastError=0)

java.io.IOException: Unable to open channel, GetLastError=0

This means you entered the wrong device ID. If you have more than one ID listed, try a different one and repeat the process from Step 4. If you only have one ID, reinstall the SEUS driver and attempt to retrieve the device ID again.

Removing Unwanted Apps

One of the best benefits of rooting is the ability to remove bloatware. You will need an app called Root Explorer (available via Google Search) to do this.

1. Install Root Explorer.
2. Navigate to the system folder on your phone.
3. Tap the button in the top right corner to enable read/write permissions.
4. Select the files you want to remove and delete them.

Warning: Do not delete core system files. Only remove apps you are confident are safe to uninstall.

Apps that are safe to remove include Moxier Mail, Quadropop, Play Now video player, and the trial version of Office Suite.