Upgrade Sony Xperia Sola MT27i to ICS 4.0.4 via Cyanogenmod 9.3

Whenever Google rolls out any new update / upgrade for Android smartphones, developers over the world quickly get their hands on its source code to customize it as the way they want. And that modified OS is then called as a Custom ROM. There are many custom ROMs available for Xperia Sola but Cyanogenmod is the one which offers you lot of customization features too. Just like CM7 (which was based on Gingerbread 2.3.x), Cyanogenmod has incremented its version to 9.3 (which is based on Android 4.0.4 ICS).

Those who were eagerly waiting for the fastest and stable custom ROM for their Sony Xperia Sola MT27i, now have the best choice to select. All thanks goes to FreeXperiaProject team because they are maintaining CM builds for all the Xperia smartphones.

Now well discuss about the features of this ROM. Cyanogenmod 9.3 includes all the features from ICS 4.0.4 (except Sony specific features). Besides that Cyanogenmod adds its own customization panel, with which you can change all the parameters as per the requirement.

Let us move further to know how you can install CM 9.3 Custom ROM on your Sony Xperia Sola MT27i.

Disclaimer : The Procedure described in this article are risky & can cause damage to your device. You should not try to attempt this if you are unaware of these things. Please follow this guide completely at your own risk. If any damage happened to your device while following this tutorial, neither we nor FreeXperia team should be held responsible for the same.

Compatibility! This is compatible only with Xperia Sola bearing model number MT27i. Don’t try it on any other device, it can cause damage to your phone..

Pre-requisites:

• Charge your phone at least up to 70% so that flashing process wont get interrupted.

• It is highly recommended to backup all your data from internal memory (includes contacts, messages (SMS/MMS), call logs, Internet APNs etc.). Your phone data will get lost after installation of this ROM (excluding External storage).

• Before proceeding to the actual installation procedure, ensure that you have unlocked the bootloader of your device. If you’ve not done it already, follow this guide.

• Custom Recovery like Clockworkmod must be installed in order flash this ROM. If you’ve not installed it yet, follow this guide.

• Please note that the above two steps are very much essential to install Cyanogenmod 9.3 on Xperia Sola.

Procedure to Install Cyanogenmod 9.3 on Sony Xperia Sola MT27i:

• Download latest Cyanogenmod 9.3 package from the link mentioned below.

1. CM9.3 for Xperia Sola.Filename:FXP216-cm-9-20130419-UNOFFICIAL-pepper.zip

• (Optional) Download Google Add-on Apps (Gmail, Maps, GTalk, Play Store etc.) which are not present in ROM by default.

1. Google Apps

• After downloading CM9.3 package, connect your device to PC. Enable mass storage mode on it. Now transfer ROM package & Google Apps to your device’s internal SD card.

• Now disconnect the phone from computer. Boot in recovery mode on your phone. To do so, switch off the phone, switch it on again, when phone is restarting (during boot logo & LED turns blue), press Volume up button. Your phone will land in recovery mode.

• Take a nandroid backup of your current ROM so that it can be restored back (in case if anything goes wrong). To backup your current ROM, select Backupand Restore option from the recovery mode & on next screen, select backup. Now It will make a nandroid backup of your whole system (excluding SD card). Wait for the backup process to get finished.

• Now Select “install zip from sdcard” & then “choose zip fromsdcard“. Navigate the ROM file (which you’ve transferred earlier) Select it & press on ‘Yes‘ to continue. ROM installation process will start.

• Wait for the ROM to get installed. After ROM gets successfully installed, your phone will land in the recovery mode again.

• (Optional) The same procedure you have to do for installation of Google Apps. (Just don’t do the above step i.e, wiping data after installation of Gapps). After you finished installation of Gapps, press back button to go to main menu of CWM.

• Select wipe data/factory reset & wipe cache partition to wipe all the data & caches from the phone memory respectively.

• Select reboot system now from the recovery mode to Restart the phone. Switch off it again (since the procedure is not completed yet). Just keep the phone aside.

• Now download the ADB & fastboot files which we will need to flash the kernel image.

1. ADB & Fastboot Files

• Extract above rar file to a convenient location/folder (Fastboot Folder).

• Open Cyanogenmod 9.3 ROM package using WinRAR or 7-zip, extract boot.img file (which is nothing but a kernel) to any convenient location. (It is located in the root directory of the ROM).

• Now move the kernel file (boot.img) where ADB & fastboot files are located.

• On the phone (while switched off), enter into the fastboot mode. To do so, Connect your phone to the computer. While connecting press Volume up button to trigger fastboot mode.

• Open the folder which contains ADB & Fastboot files.

• Runcommandprompt.bat file to open command prompt pointing to the ADB & Fastboot folder.

• Type the following command in command prompt to flash the kernel file:

fastboot flash boot boot.img

• Restart the phone by typing “fastboot reboot” (without quotes) in command prompt.

Tip: In case if you want to restore back to your previous ROM , enter into recovery mode, select Backupand Restore option from the recovery mode & on next screen, select restore & choose your latest backup to restore.

Congratulations !! Android 4.0.4 ICS is successfully installed on your Xperia Sola MT27i in the form of Cyanogenmod 9.3 Custom ROM. Do let us know how the ROM is working for you. In case if you need any help, feel free to comment it below, we will try our best to sort out the same.