Xperia Mini ST15i rooting demystification.

[#1]

Hello Android gurus,

I have Xperia Mini ST15i and if ICS updatte (which will hopefully happen) doesn't solve some issues with my Mini (mainly touchscreen sensitivity), I will be forced to root the phone and solve the problems on my own. I mean, I don't want to send it to service center for several times, because ther is no official solution, at least as I know. These are some questions I would like to get answers:

1. I have warranty for rest 1,5 year and I want to keep it, so is it true that rooting won't kill warranty?

2. Also, my phone is network locked, can I still root it?

3. What post on wich forum best describes rooting proces for ST15i (by your opinion)?

4. What are the chances to "brick" the phone?

5. After rooting, how do I unroot the phone, or to better say, can I later update it via Sony PC Companion?

6. Can I install apps from Play Store after phone is rooted?

7. What is actually ROM?

8. Best surce for ROMs?

9. Is there already good ICS ROM for ST15i?

10. And finally, what are the main advantages/disadvantages of rooting?

Thank you in advance for your contribution 🙂

Best regards,

Slaven

[#2]

Hi djdjuro

Rooting may or may not kill your warrenty. It depends on the method you use to root.

The main advantage of rooting is you get write access to system partition and that lets you delete anything you want and lets you install apps that can write into system partition.

Why we root is to get rid of some unwanted software sony and carrier installs and replace some with what suits us more. For example in my Arc S there were unwanted apps like Lets Golf, Track ID, Play Now and stuff i dont use but was there taking space in my memory. Rooting allowed me to remove them for good.

Then about bricking the device, again it depends on how you try to root your device.

Then about ROMs, ROMs and root has nothing in common. ROMs are like a complete different OS for your phone. Imagine it as various falvours of linux (Ubuntu, Fedora, etc). Even the core OS is linux we get a different interface and different set of apps and features based on what linux flavour you use. Imagine it like that here too. What sony gives is its own ROM with a UI which sony finds fit and apps and features sony finds fit for you phone. Custom ROMs (eg Cynogenmod) try to give you pure Android experience (With onscreen buttons and stuff).

I dont think you need to install any custom ROMs. I dont, rooting should be enough. It lets you remove or change anything including the Home launcher to anything you wish.

What i suggest you now is wait till Sony releases its ICS update for your device. Then see what issues you face and put it here, ill help you sort it out with what i know. 🙂

Cheers

[#3]

Then regarding touch sensitivity it might be a hrdware issue, rooting is not going to help you solve any hardware issue. Like i said it just gives you freedom to modify system partition. If it is a hardware issue you have no choice but to send it to service center. Why should you bother soo much about keeping warrenty if you don't wanna send it to service center??

[#4]

Hi gnirujan,

First of all thank you for your answers.

Regarding rooting, there is a whole topic on xda-developers forum about how to Decrease Touchscreen sensitivity (Overheat Issue) on Xperia Mini: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1387605&page=26  This might not be exact post with detailed description how to solve the problem, but somewhere on that discussion one guy has offered script which solves the touch sensitivity problem even when phone is overheated. But in order to execute the script, phone must be rooted....

But, in my case I don't speak of overheating phone, since it's summer and temperatures are higher, even a short usage of phone or just keeping it in the pocket brings this touch problem and it is impossible to use it. So I can't call this "overheating", but regular use of the phone!

Anyway, if someone has solved the problem with few lines of script, we don't speak of hardware issue, and someone from Sony should take care of this and include this fix in the next release. ASAP!

And since I already called in service center in Croatia, tey are not even familiar with this problem, so what is the point of sending phone to them?!

Regards