Why is my Xperia SP unable to get full reset?

[AC Question]

Xperia SP unable to get full reset

2yo Xperia SP, came from T-mobile UK with Android 4.1.2, later updated to 4.3 and then encrypted.

Thanks to update and encryption I went from loving it to hating it. Dead slow, worse interface (particularly the keyboard), and it became impossible to manage through Sony PC companion: because of encryption I could not see music, photos and most files. As close to a brick as I could fear.

So I have been trying to do a factory reset, hoping to get the beloved 4.1.2 back and get rid of encryption.
Several attempts at volumeup+power did not work. Volumeup+volumedown+power didn't work either. The software way, from settings, wiped info and encryption but left me with Android 4.3 and oddly a set of software I seem to be unable to remove: myEE (I installed it months ago, before the reset), Amazon AppStore and Amazon Local (never installed them myself) plus the usual load of crapware courtesy of sony.

Please help:
*how do I get a PROPER factory reset that gives me back the original Android 4.1.2?
*if that's not possible, how do I remove the apps I can't get rid of (and: how come they are there??)

Many thanks to anyone who can help

 

[B. Diddy]

Re: Xperia SP unable to get full reset

Welcome to Android Central! Doing a factory reset does not downgrade the system back to the original. You're stuck on 4.3, unless you root the phone and flash an older ROM.

It's possible that myEE, Amazon Appstore, and Amazon Local were included with the 4.3 update. If so, then you can't remove them, since they're bloatware. You should be able to disable them in Settings>Apps>All.

Here's a video on how to do a hardware button factory reset--see if it's exactly how you were trying:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZpMUnJ1cSA

 

[Resentin]

Re: Xperia SP unable to get full reset

Thank you for your reply! (OP was mine)

It is indeed possible that those apps were included in the 4.3 update, and I had later disabled amazon stuff and forgotten about it.

The procedure I have followed to reset the phone is exactly that described on the video. The first method didn't work (tried a dozen times), the second did. I wonder how it is possible that the hardware-based procedure doesn't work. What if android had become unusable and I was unable to follow the software procedure?

If rooting is the way to go back to the older rom, I'll then consider flashing something else altogether, so I'd get rid of all the other sony bloatware (it's a lot). I know nothing about rooting but I'll look into switching to cyanogen, if possible at all.

Thank you again for your help

 

[B. Diddy]

Re: Xperia SP unable to get full reset

Where did the hardware button reset method fail? Could you even get to the Recovery Menu?

 

[Resentin]

Re: Xperia SP unable to get full reset

Where did the hardware button reset method fail? Could you even get to the Recovery Menu?

No, the phone just starts normally, as if I was only pushing the power-on button.