[Xperia Play General] Logseman:
So you're a user of that hot-from-the-oven Ubuntu 11.10 (it's improved tremendously from 10.04!) and you have a Xperia phone.

Natively on Ubuntu, you can do the following:

Manage its SDcard's contents with the system's file manager

Use ADB (provided that you install the SDK)

Use Fastboot

However, you can't:

Update and manage your phone with the PC Companion Suite or SEUS

Use Flashtool to flash FTF files

Those things need Windows, because neither PC Companion, nor SEUS or Flashtool work in Linux. Does it mean you have to ditch Linux and come back to old Bill's bordello? Nope! Does it mean you have to waste more than half your disk space with a dual-boot solution? Nope!

Virtualize Windows! This means that you can play a Windows virtual machine on your computer, not very different from good old console emulation. The advantages are obvious:

It doesn't eat half your disk space just because

You can fire it up when necessary

It doesn't need a whole lot of ressources from your host computer

The disadvantage is that you can't really do this on a very low-powered computer like a cheap netbook. A dual-boot solution makes more sense there.

However, we'll focus on the virtualization solution here. The main requisite, aside of a legally obtained ISO and key of Windows 7, and a computer with enough muscle to lend some RAM and processing power to the Windows 7 guest system, is that you have superuser access to your Ubuntu system.

1. You'll need Oracle's Virtualbox, which you can download here. Pay attention: VIRTUALBOX OSE EDITION WON'T WORK. If you have it installed, uninstall it before installing Oracle Virtualbox: you won't lose the VM's you had created, and they're compatible with both versions.

2. Once you've installed it, DON'T OPEN IT YET. install the Virtualbox Extension Pack. Without it, you won't have USB capabilities in your VM, so you won't be able to connect your phone.

3. You also have to register your user name. Fire up a terminal and write:

Restart your computer afterwards.

4. Open Virtualbox and create your own Windows 7 VM. It's pretty straightforward and you have a great wizard assistant to help you, so you won't get lost. Once it's created, install Windows. Once the process is finished, shut down the VM.

5. Select the VM in Virtualbox's main menu, and click on Configuration. Click on the USB tab. Toggle on USB 2.0 support, and the other checkbox below. Now you'll have to add "filters" for devices. Connect your switched-on phone, and click on the green + symbol in that tab. You'll see that you have a new possible filter: [SEMC HSUSB Device]. Mark it and check it. This will rerout the phone's connection so that, when you connect your phone, it is recognized by Windows instead of Ubuntu.

6. Switch off your phone, and connect it in Flash mode (holding the Back key while you plug it to the USB cable, it gives you a green light). Add a new filter, and select [Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB S1 Boot Download]. This is the most important one, as it will allow you to use PCCompanion, SEUS and Flashtool.

6-1. Optionally, you can connect it as well in Fastboot mode (holding the Search key, or the Menu key in other Xperia phones; it gives you a blue light) and add the filter [Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB S1 Boot Fastboot]. Paired with the appropiate drivers, that will allow you to use your phone in Fastboot with the VM (I have done it myself, it's less confusing if every operation is done in the same environment).

7. Fire up the VM now, and install EVERY SINGLE DRIVER. PC Companion, Gordon's Gate, and the Fastboot one if you choose to use Fastboot on your VM (which, again, I recommend if we're going through this virtualisation route).

8. Connect your phone normally and in Fastboot and Flash mode so that everything goes smoothly. You have to do a little workaround to install the Fastboot drivers. Your device won't be automagically recognized like in the Flash mode, so you will have to enter the VM's device manager in the Control Panel. A device called S1 boot Fastboot will appear with a warning sign. Right click on it and click on Update driver. Pick the manual option, and point the explorer to the folder where you've extracted the Fastboot driver. it will give you a warning, you will install it anyways, and once it's done...

9. Once it's done, you can do anything you need.

If you've followed this tutorial properly, you should be able to manage your Xperia phone on Ubuntu.

enjoy!