[Xperia Play General] eksasol:
This is a guide for rooting and customizing the Xperia Play from out of the box. fma965’s Megathread Guides is a more in depth step-by-step tutorial that you might want to look at instead. However, some people might still run into issues because overtime links are dead and it's difficult to find the right files to do certain things. These are the methods that work for me. I also have useful files and minor tips that hopefully make the job easier.

Link to all the useful files I've collected for the Xperia Play.​

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(There are no downloadable paid apps.)

Post #1 Instructions for beginners, no bootloader unlocking required

Post #2 Instructions for advance users, bootloader unlocking is required

Post #3 Tips​

Why root?

The biggest problem with the Play is there’s only 400mb of internal storage space, much of the space is taken up by bloatware. Out of the box, there is not even enough free space to update Google Playstore and Google Play services to the latest version. So it’s a good idea to root the device in order to delete the system installed bloatware. While it's possible to move apps to the SDcard, some apps simply load faster from the internal storage. I recommend to not sign into your Google account on this phone and not let Google Playstore and Play services update themselves. This is because they take up too much space and are resource hungry which affect the phone’s performance. This phone is very old and have very poor to zero compatibility with modern apps and websites, it is better and safer to use it for offline gaming and media playback only.

To Unlock the bootloader or not?

It is not required to unlock the bootloader to root and install ClockworkMod Recovery for this device. Unlocking the bootloader is redundant unless you are an advance user and intend to install custom roms and kernels. If you only want to root the phone, delete bloatware so the phone run smoother, and have more space to install games, then it is not required. Therefore, my instructions below will be for rooting without the need to unlock bootloader.

Instructions for beginners, rooting​

1. Installing fastboot and flashmode drivers

2. Flash stock firmware using Flashtool

3. Rooting

4. Optional: Installing ClockwordMod

1. Installing fastboot and flashmode drivers

These drivers are required for fastboot and flashmode to work, in order to root or flash the phone. This step is absolutely crucial for everything else to work.

First, reboot your Windows computer into “Disable driver signature enforcement” mode because these drivers are unsigned and will not install otherwise.

This is “F8” on bootup for Windows 7, and “Advanced startup” for Windows 8 and 10 (Hold SHIFT while pressing Restart -> Troubleshoot -> Advanced options -> Startup settings -> restart).

For more information, check this guide, or search the web for "install unsigned drivers". Also the program "Driver Signature Enforcement Overrider" may be useful.

Now to install the drivers:

Download and install the program Flashtool version 0.9.24.4. Download this version specifically, newer version have issues with this device!

Then run C:\flashtool\flashtool-drivers.exe.

Only select these four choices during the installation to reduce driver conflicts:

Flashmode Drivers

Fastboot Drivers

Common drivers Moga and Zeus Board

Sony Ericsson Xperia arc, Xperia neo, Xperia PLAY, etc

View attachment 4936317View attachment 4936319

In the past I have selected all the drivers in the list to install and it created a lot of issues.

For reference, later in this guide when you'll connect the Xperia Play to your computer under various modes (adb debugging, fastboot, flashmode), this is what you should see in the Windows Device Manager:

View attachment 4936897 View attachment 4936899 View attachment 4936901

2. Flash stock firmware using Flashtool

Flashtool allows flashing factory firmware to return Sony phones to stock. Flashing an older firmware version on the Play allow easier rooting, which is the main purpose of this step. However, you can skip this step and try rooting the phone in Step #3 first, if that doesn’t work, use this step to flash to an older firmware, and then try rooting again.

Recommended rootable firmware for R800i / R800a GSM: "R800i_4.0.2.A.0.58_Enhanced.ftf"

Recommended rootable firmware for R800x Verizon: "R800x_3.0.1.E.0.88_Verizon.ftf"

(Make sure to download the correct ftf file for your device, R800i is for unlocked and AT&T devices, R800x is for Verizon.)

*DO NOT connect the Xperia Play to your PC yet until the steps say so.*

-Download the ftf file and put it somewhere easy to find like your desktop.

-Make sure the phone is turned off and not connected to the computer.

-Launch the Flashtool program.

-Click the “lightning” shaped icon on Flashtool’s menu.

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-Select “Flashmode”, select Ok.

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-On the “Firmware Selector” menu, select the “Source folder” where the ftf file is located.

-If you check the USERDATA box, it will wipe all your user data, this is recommended to prevent compatibility issues.

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-Select “Flash”, the “Wait for Flashmode” window appear.

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-While holding the BACK button on the phone, connect the phone to your computer (via microUSB cable)

-The Power button should glow green and the flashing will begin.

-After the flashing is done indicated by Flashtool, unplug and reboot the phone.

Hint: If you gets the errors:

ERROR - Not a sin file

ERROR - Error flashing. Aborted

Try a different Flashtool version. I get this error with the later versions of Flashtool, but version 0.9.24.4 works.

3. Rooting

-Enable USB Debugging on the phone.

Located in: Settings -> Applications -> Development -> USB debugging

-Set the phone to "MSC” mode, not MTP mode.

Located in: Settings -> Sony Ericsson -> Connectivity -> USB connection mode

View attachment 4936337

-Connect the phone to your computer and launch Flashtool program

-In Flashtool, select “My R800" -> Root -> force ZergRush”

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It will then give you the option to choose Superuser or SuperSU. I recommend choosing SuperSU, but either works:

-Superuser: usually requires the phone to reboot twice to root successfully.

-SuperSU: usually require only one reboot. After the phone rebooted, run SuperSU app on the phone. It will ask to install the binary via CWM or Normal. Select Normal.

Hint: If you select the option "Full unroot" inside SuperSU, it will successfully unroot the phone. However, afterward if you try to use Flashtool to root again, it may not work.

4. Optional: Installing ClockworkMod

After the phone has been rooted, install the "CWM Installer 5" app (credit to "nobodyAtall") which let you install ClockworkMod Recovery. ClockworkMod is not needed, but it is useful for backing up the image of the phone in case you need to restore it at a later time because you screwed up.

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Note: In case booting into CWM from the app doesn’t work. While phone is turning on, when white Sony Ericsson logo appears, keeps tapping Vol Down button. Taps, not holding, you don't have to do it very fast.

To navigate CWM screen: Use Vol Up & Down to navigate. BACK to go back. HOME for Okay/Select.

"Back menu button is disabled." WTF?

While in CWM, if you press Vol Up + Vol Down together at once, it will toggle between enabling and disabling the back button.

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