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Nolan Baker
Nolan Baker
June 17, 2023

Fix Software Issues on Your Sony Xperia A4 SO-04G (NTT Docomo Japan) by Flashing Stock Rom .ftf with FlashTool



Official Sony Xperia A4 SO-04G (NTT Docomo Japan) Stock Rom .ftf for FlashTool




If you own a Sony Xperia A4 SO-04G smartphone, you might be interested in flashing a stock ROM on your device. A stock ROM is the official firmware that comes pre-installed on your device by the manufacturer. It contains the operating system, apps, settings, and features that are optimized for your device. Flashing a stock ROM can help you restore your device to its original state, fix software issues, unbrick your device, or upgrade to a newer Android version.




Official Sony Xperia A4 SO-04G (NTT Docomo Japan) Stock Rom .ftf for FlashTool



However, flashing a stock ROM is not as simple as downloading and installing an update. You need some tools and files to perform this process. One of the files you need is a .ftf file, which is a flashable firmware file that contains all the necessary data for flashing a stock ROM. You can create a .ftf file using XperiFirm and FlashTool, two tools that allow you to download and package firmware files from Sony servers. Another tool you need is FlashTool, which is a software that allows you to flash firmware files on Sony Xperia devices.


In this article, we will show you how to download and install FlashTool on your PC, how to download and create a .ftf file for Sony Xperia A4 SO-04G using XperiFirm, and how to flash the .ftf file using FlashTool. By following this guide, you will be able to flash an official stock ROM on your Sony Xperia A4 SO-04G device easily and safely.


How to download and install FlashTool on your PC




FlashTool is a software that allows you to flash firmware files on Sony Xperia devices. It supports most of the Sony Xperia devices running Android OS. You can use it to flash stock ROMs, custom ROMs, kernels, recovery images, root packages, etc. You can also use it to backup and restore your device's data, unlock or relock your bootloader, edit or delete partitions, etc.


To use FlashTool, you need to download and install it on your PC. Here are the steps to do so:


  • Go to this link and download the latest version of FlashTool for Windows. The file size is about 250 MB.



  • Extract the downloaded zip file using WinRAR or any other extraction tool.



  • Open the extracted folder and double-click on the flashtool.exe file.



  • Follow the installation wizard and accept the terms and conditions.



  • Select the destination folder where you want to install FlashTool. The default folder is C:\Flashtool.



  • Click - Click on the Install button and wait for the installation to complete.



  • Click on the Finish button and launch FlashTool from the desktop shortcut or the Start menu.



Congratulations, you have successfully installed FlashTool on your PC. You can now use it to flash firmware files on your Sony Xperia A4 SO-04G device.


How to download and create a .ftf file for Sony Xperia A4 SO-04G using XperiFirm




A .ftf file is a flashable firmware file that contains all the necessary data for flashing a stock ROM on your Sony Xperia device. You can create a .ftf file using XperiFirm and FlashTool, two tools that allow you to download and package firmware files from Sony servers.


XperiFirm is a tool that allows you to download the latest firmware files for your Sony Xperia device directly from Sony servers. You can use it to download the official stock ROM for your device model and region. You can also use it to download older firmware versions or different variants of the same firmware.


To use XperiFirm, you need to download and install it on your PC. Here are the steps to do so:


  • Go to this link and download the latest version of XperiFirm for Windows. The file size is about 10 MB.



  • Extract the downloaded zip file using WinRAR or any other extraction tool.



  • Open the extracted folder and double-click on the XperiFirm.exe file.



  • Accept the terms and conditions and wait for the tool to load.



Now, you can use XperiFirm to download the firmware files for your Sony Xperia A4 SO-04G device. Here are the steps to do so:


  • On the left panel of XperiFirm, scroll down and find the Xperia A4 (SO-04G) device under the NTT Docomo Japan category.



  • Click on the device name and wait for the tool to load the available firmware versions for your device.



  • On the right panel of XperiFirm, select the firmware version that you want to download. You can check the Android version, build number, release date, and region of each firmware version. You can also use the search box to filter the firmware versions by keywords.



  • Click on the Download button at the bottom right corner of XperiFirm and choose a destination folder where you want to save the firmware files. The default folder is C:\Users\YourUsername\.flashTool\firmwares.



  • Click on the OK button and wait for XperiFirm to download the firmware files. The download speed and time may vary depending on your internet connection and file size. You can check the progress and status of the download on XperiFirm.



  • Once the download is complete, XperiFirm will ask you if you want to create a bundle with FlashTool. Click on the Yes button and FlashTool will launch automatically.



Now, you can use FlashTool to create a .ftf file from the downloaded firmware files. Here are the steps to do so:


  • On FlashTool, click on the Tools menu and select Bundles > Create.



  • A new window will pop up with some options for creating a bundle. You can leave most of them as default, but make sure to check or change these settings:



  • Device: Select Xperia A4 (SO-04G) from the drop-down list.



  • Version: Enter or copy-paste the firmware version that you downloaded from XperiFirm.



  • Type: Select FTF from the drop-down list.



  • Branding: Enter or copy-paste NTT Docomo Japan as the branding name.



  • Content: Click on ... button next to Source folder and browse to the destination folder where you saved the firmware files from XperiFirm. The folder name should be something like NTT DOCOMO_JP_1298-7266_25.0.B.2.29_R4C.



  • Click on the arrow button next to Content and select all the files that you want to include in the .ftf file. You can select all of them or only the ones that you need. For example, if you only want to flash the system partition, you can deselect the other partitions.



  • Click on the Create button at the bottom right corner of FlashTool and choose a destination folder where you want to save the .ftf file. The default folder is C:\Users\YourUsername\.flashTool\firmwares.



  • Click on the OK button and wait for FlashTool to create the .ftf file. The creation time may vary depending on your PC performance and file size. You can check the progress and status of the creation on FlashTool.



  • Once the creation is complete, FlashTool will notify you with a message saying "Bundle creation finished". You can close FlashTool and XperiFirm now.



Congratulations, you have successfully created a .ftf file for Sony Xperia A4 SO-04G using XperiFirm and FlashTool. You can now use it to flash a stock ROM on your device.


How to flash the .ftf file using FlashTool




Now that you have created a .ftf file for Sony Xperia A4 SO-04G, you can use it to flash a stock ROM on your device using FlashTool. Flashing a stock ROM can help you restore your device to its original state, fix software issues, unbrick your device, or upgrade to a newer Android version.


However, flashing a stock ROM is not without risks. You might lose your data, void your warranty, or damage your device if you do not follow the instructions carefully. Therefore, before you proceed, make sure to backup your data, unlock your bootloader, enable USB debugging, and charge your battery. You also need to install the Sony USB drivers on your PC and disable any antivirus or firewall software that might interfere with the flashing process.


Once you are ready, here are the steps to flash the .ftf file using FlashTool:


  • Launch FlashTool from the desktop shortcut or the Start menu.



  • Click on the lightning bolt icon at the top left corner of FlashTool and select Flashmode from the pop-up menu.



  • A new window will pop up with some options for flashing. You can leave most of them as default, but make sure to check or change these settings:



  • Source folder: Browse to the destination folder where you saved the .ftf file. The default folder is C:\Users\YourUsername\.flashTool\firmwares.



  • Firmware: Select the .ftf file that you created for Sony Xperia A4 SO-04G. The file name should be something like NTT DOCOMO_JP_1298-7266_25.0.B.2.29_R4C.ftf.



  • Wipe: Select or deselect the options that you want to wipe or keep on your device. For example, if you want to keep your data and apps, you can deselect DATA and APPS_LOG.



  • Exclude: Select or deselect the options that you want to exclude or include in the flashing process. For example, if you want to keep your kernel and recovery, you can select KERNEL and RECOVERY.



  • Click on the Flash button at the bottom right corner of FlashTool and wait for it to prepare the files for flashing.



  • When FlashTool prompts you to connect your device in flash mode, follow these steps:



  • Turn off your device and wait for a few seconds.



  • Press and hold the Volume Down button on your device.



  • Connect your device to your PC using a USB cable while holding the Volume Down button.



  • Release the Volume Down button when you see a green LED light on your device.



  • FlashTool will detect your device in flash mode and start flashing the .ftf file on it. You can check the progress and status of and carrier.



What are the risks of flashing a stock ROM?




Some of the risks of flashing a stock ROM are:


  • You might lose your data, such as contacts, messages, photos, videos, apps, etc., if you do not backup your device before flashing.



  • You might void your warranty, as flashing a stock ROM might be considered as modifying or tampering with your device by the manufacturer or carrier.



  • You might damage your device, such as bricking it, soft-bricking it, or causing bootloops, if you do not follow the instructions carefully or use the wrong files or tools for flashing.



  • You might face some compatibility issues, such as network, camera, audio, or sensor problems, if you flash a stock ROM that is not meant for your device model or region.



  • You might lose some features or customizations that you liked or used on your previous firmware, such as themes, wallpapers, icons, widgets, etc.



How to fix common errors or issues while flashing a stock ROM?




Some of the common errors or issues that you might encounter while flashing a stock ROM are:


  • FlashTool does not detect your device in flash mode: This might happen if you have not installed the Sony USB drivers on your PC, if you have not enabled USB debugging on your device, if you have not connected your device in flash mode correctly, or if you have any antivirus or firewall software that is blocking FlashTool. To fix this, make sure to install the Sony USB drivers on your PC, enable USB debugging on your device, connect your device in flash mode properly, and disable any antivirus or firewall software that might interfere with FlashTool.



  • FlashTool shows an error message saying "ERROR - Processing of loader.sin finished with errors": This might happen if you have not unlocked your bootloader before flashing a stock ROM. To fix this, make sure to unlock your bootloader using the official Sony website or any other method that works for your device.



  • FlashTool shows an error message saying "ERROR - No loader found": This might happen if you have selected the wrong .ftf file for flashing or if the .ftf file is corrupted or incomplete. To fix this, make sure to select the correct .ftf file for your device model and region and check if the .ftf file is intact and complete.



  • Your device does not boot up after flashing a stock ROM: This might happen if you have flashed a stock ROM that is not compatible with your device model or region or if the flashing process was interrupted or failed. To fix this, try to flash the stock ROM again using FlashTool and make sure to select the right .ftf file and follow the instructions carefully. If that does not work, try to flash a different stock ROM that is compatible with your device model and region. If nothing works, try to restore your device to its original state using FlashTool or any other method that works for your device.



How to restore your device to its original state if something goes wrong?




If something goes wrong while flashing a stock ROM and you want to restore your device to its original state, you can try these methods:


  • Use FlashTool to flash the original firmware that came pre-installed on your device. You can find the original firmware files on XperiFirm or any other source that provides official firmware files for Sony Xperia devices. Make sure to select the correct firmware version for your device model and region and follow the same steps as flashing a stock ROM using FlashTool.



  • Use FlashTool to backup and restore your device's data. You can use FlashTool to backup your device's data before flashing a stock ROM and restore it after flashing a stock ROM. To backup your data using FlashTool, click on the Tools menu and select Backup > TA. To restore your data using FlashTool , click on the Tools menu and select Restore > TA.



  • Use Sony PC Companion or Xperia Companion to repair your device's software. You can use Sony PC Companion or Xperia Companion, two official software from Sony, to repair your device's software if it is corrupted, bricked, or not working properly. To use Sony PC Companion or Xperia Companion, download and install them on your PC, connect your device to your PC using a USB cable, and follow the instructions on the software to repair your device's software.



How to update your device after flashing a stock ROM?




If you flash a stock ROM on your device, you might want to update your device to the latest Android version or security patch level. You can do this in two ways:


  • Use the OTA (over-the-air) update feature on your device. You can check for OTA updates on your device by going to Settings > About phone > Software update and tapping on Check for updates. If there is an update available for your device, you can download and install it directly on your device. However, this method might not work if you have flashed a stock ROM that is not meant for your device model or region or if you have modified or rooted your device.



  • Use FlashTool to flash the latest firmware file on your device. You can use FlashTool to flash the latest firmware file for your device model and region using the same steps as flashing a stock ROM using FlashTool. You can find the latest firmware files on XperiFirm or any other source that provides official firmware files for Sony Xperia devices. Make sure to select the correct firmware version for your device model and region and follow the same steps as flashing a stock ROM using FlashTool.



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