[Xperia Arc Android Development] yuxandyou:
Well, once you have downloaded your custom rom, you need these tools:

- Flash tool (and drivers)

- CWM 5.5.0.4

- rootXploit

- Xperia Neo V .ftf stock ROM .587

- Xperia Neo V .ftf Stock Kernel .562 (for downgrade and root)

All these files are here https://www.dropbox.com/sh/mt2gbn16zr97plb/JHpCMRbLUo

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Once you have all files downloaded, you must install Flash tool and drivers files, after it, connect your phone in flash mode (power off, push "back" button and connect the USB cable, green led) Flash tool need drivers and it will be installed automatically, if not, search in c:/Flashtool/drivers. Well, now you have flash tool and operative adb drivers, you can now disconnectyour phone and power on. Here you need to do a complete backup of all you need of Sd card in your PC (Its better if Sd is clean and formatted.

For format Sd you need some Linux release (you can use a live cd without installing it) and Gparted (normally included in Ubuntu 12.04 and up), in Gparted you must create a new partition at the end of free space it must be "ext2" and must have 1024Mb (for me is this because my Sd has 8Gb, if you want more, put it) and format the rest of space in fat32.

After Sd is prepared, copy al custom rom files to root directory on Sd (jelly sandwich 6 .zip files, Xperia ultimate HD, 1 .zip file, don't unzip it!).

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You need to copy into c:/flash tool/firmwares the two .ftf files.

From the .rar root4.0.4, you must unrar it on c:/

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BEFORE THIS, REMEMBER YOU NEED TO HAVE A FULL CHARGED BATTERY FOR THE ENTIRE PROCCESS!!!!!

Well, there we go, run flash tool, click on the "beam" icon and select Flash mode, in this point you have two important files in the left side the complete rom .587 MT11 and kernel .562 MT11 (we're going to flash our phone as it was a Neo V, dont worry, only a problem if you still that stock rom). Select the complete rom .587 MT11, in the right side you have three filed, in the first, check all, in the second too, and in the third, check "no final verification" and flash. Follow instructions for enter into flash mode and wait to flashing proccess. after finish, disconnect phone from PC adn power on (the first boot is about 3-4 minutes), don't configure your phone (you're going to wipe user data again), only go to "tools-->developer options" and check "USB Debugging" and go to "tools---> security" and check "unknown sources". Power off your phone

On flash tool click again in "beam" icon and select .562 kernel, right side: only sure checked "no final verification" and flash. After flashing power on your phone and close flash tool, wait to phone complete staterd up.

Go to "Computer---> hard drive c:" *(there you unzipped the root xploit root4.0.4 and must have the folder "data" and the file "runme.bat"), connect your phone to pc and double click on "runme.bat", follow the onscreen instructions (your phone will reboot two or three times automatically). Once onscreen instructions window dissapear with the las "Press any key to continue or Presione una tecla para continuar" wait to completely started up phone and power off it.

Run Flash tool again and click on "beam" icon, select the complete Rom .587, and in the right fields: first field select all, second field UNCHECK all except "KERNEL", and third check "no final verification", flash. Once flashing proccess finished disconnect your phone from PC and power on it (close flash tool). When phone fully started up, go again to settings and check USB Debugging and Unknown sources. Connect the phone to pc and go to extracted folder of CWM5.5.0.4 and run "install-cwm1.cmd" follow onscreen instructions (its a short proccess). Once onscreen instructions dissapears with the last "press any key to continue or presione una tecla para continuar" power off your phone (if you want, you can go to "Settings--->storage" and look you're now 420Mb "Total space").

Well, in this point you have now a 420Mb rooted xperia Neo with CWM.

Remember that you cannot stop here, you need a custom rom because Neo does not work with Neo V stock Rom, can run with Neo V stock kernel but not Rom.

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You have your Neo with 420Mb rooted and with CWM, sure that you have on Sd root directory the custom Rom files in .zip format.

Power on your phone and when "SONY" logo appears, push "volume down" button repeatedly (NO LONG PRESS!!!) and you must enter in CWM mode, volume keys to move, "home" key to select and "back" key to previous menu.

Steps:

- wipe data /factory reset ---> yes

- wipe cache partition ---> yes

- mounts and storage ---> format /system ---> yes

- mounts and storage ---> format /data ---> yes

- mounts and storage ---> format /cache ---> yes

- advanced ---> wipe dalvik cache ---> yes

- advanced ----> fix permissions

- install zip from sd card ---> choose zip file ---> jelly sandwich 8.0 by maxio1998.zip ---> yes

In this point "Aroma installer" starts, follow the onscreen instructions and see the (recommended) labels for options, you must select in "device" Xperia Neo (no Neo V) and when finished UNMARK "reboot xperia now" and "finish", (is very important this step) you're again in CWM menu:

- wipe cache partition ---> yes

- advanced ---> wipe dalvik cache ---> yes

- advanced ---> fix permissions

- reboot your system now.

When your phone fuly started up, configure it as new (your gmail address and all that stuff).

Don't click on "OTA Update" message in notification bar (very important)

When you're in "home" connect again your phone to pc and follow again the steps to install CWM5.5.0.4 (you lost it with the custom rom flashing).

You only must install CWM this time, with the updates you don't get lost CWM

I'm going to explain the steps to install all the updates, that step are the same for all updates (from 8.1 to 8.5), remember don't click on "OTA update" notification (it dissapears when you're on 8.5)

Steps for update:

- Power off you phone

- Power on your phone and enter in CWM mode (press "vol down" key repeatedly at SONY logo screen)

- wipe cache partition ---> yes

- advanced ---> wipe dalvik cache ---> yes

- advanced ---> fix permissions (it gets around 1 minute)

- Install zip from SD card ---> choose zip file ---> (choose the 8.x update file) ---> yes

Follow the onscreen Aroma installer instructions ans UNCHECK "reboot xperia now" and push "finish"

- wipe cache partition ---> yes

- advanced ---> wipe dalvik cache ---> yes

- advanced ---> fix permissions

- reboot system now

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The updates must be done in sequence, from 8.1 to 8.5, once you're on 8.5 you finished the entire process, it can seems longer but really takes around one hour.

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you must install google apps from Play Store.

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I put *my screenshots, you can find ramxpander app, apex launcher, root explorer and much more at Google Play

EDIT: Sorry for the other info, I put the screenshots only for show hoe to get 420Mb free user space with your Neo. And sorry for the external link to dropbox but I think the only way to put all the necessary tools in one place, I will put the links to the tools and the thanks to the users than put that links.