Database Develop

[Q] Rooting Xperia Z - Bravia engine..

I have heard that rooting xperia Z would lead to loss of Bravia Engine functionality and Track ID too, is it correct ?
I am thinking to root my phone.

akss009 said:
I have heard that rooting xperia Z would lead to loss of Bravia Engine functionality and Track ID too, is it correct ?
I am thinking to root my phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's all good now. If you backup your TA partition first before you unlock the BL you can flash the keys back and BE2 will work again. You can read the tutorial here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2234627

akss009 said:
I have heard that rooting xperia Z would lead to loss of Bravia Engine functionality and Track ID too, is it correct ?
I am thinking to root my phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
rooting isn't the problem, but unlocking the bootloader. luckily there is a way to root your phone without unlocking the BL, but keep in mind: you can't install custom firmware with a locked bootloader (only sony based ROMs or ROM-modifications)

akss009 said:
I have heard that rooting xperia Z would lead to loss of Bravia Engine functionality and Track ID too, is it correct ?
I am thinking to root my phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you unlock your bootloader then you lose the Bravia Engine, however Track id isn't in the same category as that and will be unaffected.
There are much better replacements to Track ID anyway in the Play Store.

FSN said:
rooting isn't the problem, but unlocking the bootloader. luckily there is a way to root your phone without unlocking the BL, but keep in mind: you can't install custom firmware with a locked bootloader (only sony based ROMs or ROM-modifications)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
all of that doesn't matter anymore though. SInce you can get your DRM keys back and your XZ's BL will be locked again once you flash back your own TA image.

So for now i am going only for root without unlocking BL
Sent from my C6602

akss009 said:
So for now i am going only for root without unlocking BL
Sent from my C6602
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can do what you want. Unlock the BL or not. If you backup your TA partition first you can do anything. As long as you backup your TA partition first before you unlock the BL. But if you really don't want to unlock the BL that is your call too.

shadowboy23 said:
all of that doesn't matter anymore though. SInce you can get your DRM keys back and your XZ's BL will be locked again once you flash back your own TA image.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that's true, but maybe he just wants the root

FSN said:
that's true, but maybe he just wants the root
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, maybe that's all he wants for now. Just letting the OP know that losing your DRM keys and BE2 not working anymore is yesterdays news. So the OP can do what he wants without the fear of losing the DRM keys and BE2 not working.

Thanks for your suggestion guys, since I am new to Sony so Just want to root for now and play around with stock ui, until i get bored
P.S. - Got my xperia Z last saturday , before that had Galaxy S2, and i have flashed it more than a 100 or 200 times till it went dead, dont remember.

There is a root method without unlocking your BL http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2186368
I've tested this method with my locked BL, that works like a charm.

[Q] Unlocked bootloader : Disadvantages?

Tried searching, but didn't find a clear answer to the disadvantages of unlocking bootloader for Sony Xperia SP.
Am really interested in unlocking bootloader, mainly coz I am a fan of CyanogenMod ROM's.
If an when CM arrives for SP, I will have to unlock bootloader.
If some doubts are cleared, will unlock it right away. May be.
Few questions, simply answered would really be appreciated.
1. We lose DRM is sure, but can we manage to add DRM keys back on unlocked bootloader?
2. Do we lose Bravia Engine 2?
3. Do we lose front camera?
4. Any other disadvantages? Or something I need to know?
Thanks!

1. Yes, backup TA: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2292598
2. Yes (unless you follow step 1). I prefer not having bravia engine because I noticed it made pictures taken by our camera look a million times more noisy
3. Well that's just a weird thing to lose... No we don't
4. Not really... Apart from the warranty void stuff of course
Not sure if you need to unlock bootloader to install CM though. If they made it work with stock kernel then you won't need to unlock the bootloader, if it only works with modified kernels then yeah you have to unlock

Unfortunately I did root my phone and unlocked bootloader without paying much attention to backup TA partition and possibility to lose Bravia engine
I should have done more reading instead of rushing to root my Xperia SP
can I know what is DRM keys that have been lost ?!! and if i relock bootloader will I restore Bravia engine.
also if Bravia engine is lost, how come i still can select it in Settings --> Display
is there anyway to test if it is there or not?
Thanks.

ahmedhappy312 said:
Unfortunately I did root my phone and unlocked bootloader without paying much attention to backup TA partition and possibility to lose Bravia engine
I should have done more reading instead of rushing to root my Xperia SP
can I know what is DRM keys that have been lost ?!! and if i relock bootloader will I restore Bravia engine.
also if Bravia engine is lost, how come i still can select it in Settings --> Display
is there anyway to test if it is there or not?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes bravia engine is lost
It still appears in settings but u will find the difrence in pictures that the bravia engine doesnt work after unlocking bl

Heres the thing guys, I unlocked bootloader on My V and J and still found Bravia working on the albums, I did not backup TA or whatsoever.
Its just placebo that it will be gone. I unlocked bL on both V and J because warranty is gone after a year.

The bravia engine only makes photographs look better on the phone. Sometimes think Sony chose less bright screen hardware just to make BE look good.
Sent from my C5303 using Tapatalk

mohits143 said:
Tried searching, but didn't find a clear answer to the disadvantages of unlocking bootloader for Sony Xperia SP.
Am really interested in unlocking bootloader, mainly coz I am a fan of CyanogenMod ROM's.
If an when CM arrives for SP, I will have to unlock bootloader.
If some doubts are cleared, will unlock it right away. May be.
Few questions, simply answered would really be appreciated.
1. We lose DRM is sure, but can we manage to add DRM keys back on unlocked bootloader?
2. Do we lose Bravia Engine 2?
3. Do we lose front camera?
4. Any other disadvantages? Or something I need to know?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi!
I think you will find an answer of these question in this thread: link
1.Yes, you can restore the DRM keys if you made a BACKUP! Just flash stock firmware before you do that.
2.Yes, but thats only counts for stock rom.It works fine on custom roms.
3.No.
4.I dont know. My bootloader is unlocked and I have no issues so far.
I hope that helped!Press thanks if it did!

BlAckXpeRia said:
Hi!
I think you will find an answer of these question in this thread: link
1.Yes, you can restore the DRM keys if you made a BACKUP! Just flash stock firmware before you do that.
2.Yes, but thats only counts for stock rom.It works fine on custom roms.
3.No.
4.I dont know. My bootloader is unlocked and I have no issues so far.
I hope that helped!Press thanks if it did!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haha.. I got the reply earlier itself.
Infact unlocked bootloader long time ago.
Thanks though. Should be helpful to newbies.
Sent from my C5303 using Tapatalk now Free

Unlocking From Official site will remove bravia engine?
mohits143 said:
Tried searching, but didn't find a clear answer to the disadvantages of unlocking bootloader for Sony Xperia SP.
Am really interested in unlocking bootloader, mainly coz I am a fan of CyanogenMod ROM's.
If an when CM arrives for SP, I will have to unlock bootloader.
If some doubts are cleared, will unlock it right away. May be.
Few questions, simply answered would really be appreciated.
1. We lose DRM is sure, but can we manage to add DRM keys back on unlocked bootloader?
2. Do we lose Bravia Engine 2?
3. Do we lose front camera?
4. Any other disadvantages? Or something I need to know?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unlocking From Official site will remove bravia engine?

Kruns said:
Unlocking From Official site will remove bravia engine?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes

Xperia Z1 backup DRM, after Relock Bootloader it camera will work back?

Dear all,
I have one more noob question again.
I was use a tool name Backup-TA-9.8 to backup my Xperia Z1 DRM. If I unlock it boot loader I know that the camera will not work. But if I relock it bootloader and restore my DRM. Dose the camera will work well again?
Best regards,
Brian Lee Mataba
My device is Xperia Z1 C6902

Brianlymtb said:
Dear all,
I have one more noob question again.
I was use a tool name Backup-TA-9.8 to backup my Xperia Z1 DRM. If I unlock it boot loader I know that the camera will not work. But if I relock it bootloader and restore my DRM. Dose the camera will work well again?
Best regards,
Brian Lee Mataba
My device is Xperia Z1 C6902
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes, as long as you have backed up the TA BEFORE you unlock the bootloader

gregbradley said:
yes, as long as you have backed up the TA BEFORE you unlock the bootloader
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, thanks
So I will unlock it and test the Omni ROM today xD

Brianlymtb said:
Yeah, thanks
So I will unlock it and test the Omni ROM today xD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But when relocking/restoring you will not be able to use those custom roms anymore (those not based on stock), just so you remember/know.

gregbradley said:
yes, as long as you have backed up the TA BEFORE you unlock the bootloader
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Small question, wouldn't it be possible to unlock, root (by pushing su binaries in a custom recovery and restoring stock recovery), and relock? No reason it wouldn't work imo, and I find this procedure faster than doing the downgrade, root, recovery, upgrade method

MohammadAG said:
Small question, wouldn't it be possible to unlock, root (by pushing su binaries in a custom recovery and restoring stock recovery), and relock? No reason it wouldn't work imo, and I find this procedure faster than doing the downgrade, root, recovery, upgrade method
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes, but when you unlock you void your warranty, so unless you are planning on keeping an unlocked bootloader I reckon the extra minute it takes to downgrade etc... is worth it to keep your warranty
Also,
There is no such thing as a "stock recovery" on Xperia devices.
Also,
there is no need to install a recovery on the downgrade method if you do not want to.

gregbradley said:
yes, but when you unlock you void your warranty, so unless you are planning on keeping an unlocked bootloader I reckon the extra minute it takes to downgrade etc... is worth it to keep your warranty
Also,
There is no such thing as a "stock recovery" on Xperia devices.
Also,
there is no need to install a recovery on the downgrade method if you do not want to.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No warranty here anyway.
I remember OTA-upgrading an Xperia Z, and that simply flashed a zip package in recovery. Why would there be no stock recovery?
And you need to install a custom recovery to do the upgrade, either that or copy files while the system is running, and I'm not sure how the latter would work without the system crashing at some point.

MohammadAG said:
No warranty here anyway.
I remember OTA-upgrading an Xperia Z, and that simply flashed a zip package in recovery. Why would there be no stock recovery?
And you need to install a custom recovery to do the upgrade, either that or copy files while the system is running, and I'm not sure how the latter would work without the system crashing at some point.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No.
Xperia devices have never come with a stock recovery accessible for the user.
Upgrading OTA means you do not flash it in recovery, you download the files Over The Air and then the phone upgrades itself.
No official upgrades are done in recovery, only custom kernels, custom roms or custom updates are flashed in custom recoveries

gregbradley said:
No.
Xperia devices have never come with a stock recovery accessible for the user.
Upgrading OTA means you do not flash it in recovery, you download the files Over The Air and then the phone upgrades itself.
No official upgrades are done in recovery, only custom kernels, custom roms or custom updates are flashed in custom recoveries
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know what OTA means, on previous devices with stock recovery, it simply drops you into recovery and does the flashing itself without the user ever having to touch anything. Same goes for wiping user data, it's done in recovery.
Whether the recovery is accessible to the user or not is another thing, and I didn't know about it, so thanks for that.

gregbradley said:
yes, as long as you have backed up the TA BEFORE you unlock the bootloader
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How do you do a TA backup on the Z1? When you do the TA backup before doing anything else you usually do not have root yet, so I wonder how to backup the TA......

Follow any if the several guides in the dev section on how to backup TA. I can see at least 2 guides on the first page
Sent from my C6903 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

How to relock bootloader without TA backups.. Android 4.3.. Please help mr

Sent from my C6903 using xda app-developers app

Nuwan75n said:
Sent from my C6903 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it is possible to lock it without a backup, is your camera not working anymore ?

You can try flashtool, BLU option tries to relock it if it's unlocked, theres a good chance you will brick your device!
Have fun
Sent from my C6903 using Tapatalk

AntiDroid said:
it is possible to lock it without a backup, is your camera not working anymore ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you sure this is good and/or informative advice? I thought a locked bootloader not finding valid keys in the TA will refuse to ever function usefully again - no boot, no fastboot, no flashmode, nothing, totally bricked, and no way to convert it back to unlocked and get your phone back.
I would like to know if I am wrong about any of that. And... it seems that I was:
** Correction - it is Ok to relock the bootloader without having the pre-unlock data in the TA partition
** Flashing in data from any other TA partition (some other phone) seems certain to brick the phone though.

n0bleINtP said:
Are you sure this is good and/or informative advice? I thought a locked bootloader not finding valid keys in the TA will refuse to ever function usefully again - no boot, no fastboot, no flashmode, nothing, totally bricked, and no way to convert it back to unlocked and get your phone back.
I would like to know if I am wrong about any of that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've never read about those damages but I read things like the known camera bug.
I unlocked my Z1 on .290 - the Sony release which fixed the problem (4.3). I flashed a Recovery and rooted it with it and my device is working like it was with a "untouched" ROM.
That's all I know.
We could wait for a dev to answer deeper questions.

AntiDroid said:
I unlocked my Z1 on .290 - the Sony release which fixed the problem (4.3).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes this absolutely fine and is what I did with my Z1, ie do not unlock until after the 290 update is applied - you will see that advice on the Sony unlock website. However if you want a TA backup you need to do that before unlocking as the unlock process will wipe the keys, and you also need root in order to make that copy. (let me know if I am wrong about that)
My process was to root on earlier firmware, copy the TA, update to .290, then unlock. After unlocking full root on .290 is easy with a custom kernel and everything is good: unlocked, rooted *and* working camera.
But you *will* need a copy of the pre-unlock TA partition to regain any of the functions that use the DRM keys if you decide to relock the bootloader later.

It is impossible to get the DRM keys back, and there is no gain from relocking without them, all you're doing is locking down the bootloader without enabling BIONZ, etc, but you can certainly run a stock system if you want.

n0bleINtP said:
Yes this absolutely fine and is what I did with my Z1, ie do not unlock until after the 290 update is applied - you will see that advice on the Sony unlock website. However if you want a TA backup you need to do that before unlocking as the unlock process will wipe the keys, and you also need root in order to make that copy. (let me know if I am wrong about that)
My process was to root on earlier firmware, copy the TA, update to .290, then unlock. After unlocking full root on .290 is easy with a custom kernel and everything is good: unlocked, rooted *and* working camera.
But you *will* need a copy of the pre-unlock TA partition to regain any of the functions that use the DRM keys if you decide to relock the bootloader later.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello, yesterday I downgraded to rooteable 4.2.2 rom in order to backup TA partition. Once I had backup, I updated to 4.3 (290) and unlocked bootloader, then flashed recovery. With recovery was easy to flash superSu. Now I have "stock" rom with root and unlocked bootloader, but I realized that x-reality wasn't warking anymore (because of the DRM keys loss).
I tried to recover TA partition, but I caused a soft-brick, wich I only could solve flashing a 290 ftf through flashtool, but I lost root. My question is: It is possible to have root and DRM keys (TA partition restored)??
Thank you very much.

yanbee said:
Hello, yesterday I downgraded to rooteable 4.2.2 rom in order to backup TA partition. Once I had backup, I updated to 4.3 (290) and unlocked bootloader, then flashed recovery. With recovery was easy to flash superSu. Now I have "stock" rom with root and unlocked bootloader, but I realized that x-reality wasn't warking anymore (because of the DRM keys loss).
I tried to recover TA partition, but I caused a soft-brick, wich I only could solve flashing a 290 ftf through flashtool, but I lost root. My question is: It is possible to have root and DRM keys (TA partition restored)??
Thank you very much.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, never.

Just2Cause said:
No, never.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So, apart from losing x-reality and some Sony apps functionalities (which I dont care). Do you lose something else? I heard about losing bionz processor, but camera still works, then I dont know how far this is true.
The incompatibility problem of root and restored TA partition, is because flashing recovery (which modifies kernel) or supersu.apk it self?
Thank you VERY much!

You loose bionz, but not x-reality. I unlocked my bootloader and I have x-relity enabled.
Some ROMs won't have working camera, for example: android 4.4 KitKat ported from xperia z ultra GPe, and some other ROMs.

Just2Cause said:
You loose bionz, but not x-reality. I unlocked my bootloader and I have x-relity enabled.
Some ROMs won't have working camera, for example: android 4.4 KitKat ported from xperia z ultra GPe, and some other ROMs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can see that the x-reality option is still on menu, and you can enable/disable it, but it doesn't work. Before, I could see in the first second of picture showing how x-reality improves the image (its an effect that can be seen with the naked eye), this is not happening now. By the way, its for sure that bionz stop working? How could I take pictures without it?
Thank you

yanbee said:
I can see that the x-reality option is still on menu, and you can enable/disable it, but it doesn't work. Before, I could see in the first second of picture showing how x-reality improves the image (its an effect that can be seen with the naked eye), this is not happening now. By the way, its for sure that bionz stop working? How could I take pictures without it?
Thank you
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure about bionz, but I guessed it as I had the x-relity option enabled. I can't tell if it works or not as I don't have camera (I'm using ported 4.4)
It would be nice of someone confirmed it.

Correct me if i am wrong.
Bionz is a service which improves the pictures after a shot, isn't it ?
Bionz and X-Reality are things u can't detect that easy like "oh that effect is from X-Reality" or something else.
I thought the main reason for not working cameras on other roms was that the dev's didn't apply those 4.3 changes :S

AntiDroid said:
Correct me if i am wrong.
Bionz is a service which improves the pictures after a shot, isn't it ?
Bionz and X-Reality are things u can't detect that easy like "oh that effect is from X-Reality" or something else.
I thought the main reason for not working cameras on other roms was that the dev's didn't apply those 4.3 changes :S
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Bionz it's a image processor that includes xperia Z1, it process the pictures taken instead the cpu. I dont know if it's easy to detect if it's working or not. But in the case of x-reallity it's very simple, when you open a picture in Sony gallery app, you can see how the picture "improves" quality in the first second. It is no so evident in all pictures, but can be detected by a naked eye, as I do.
My only doubt is about bionz processor, I already know that I loss x-reality. But I want to be SURE if bionz processing is also lost. I want to have full root (with unlocked bootloader), and have bionz enabled. I dont care x-reality or Sony apps.
Thank you very much

Just2Cause said:
No, never.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not true. If you have a TA backup, install .290, unlock bootloader, install a recovery, root, reflash stock boot partition, restore TA partition, you will end up with a booting, rooted, .290 installation.

Rekoil said:
Not true. If you have a TA backup, install .290, unlock bootloader, install a recovery, root, reflash stock boot partition, restore TA partition, you will end up with a booting, rooted, .290 installation.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you sure about that? :fingers-crossed:

Just2Cause said:
Are you sure about that? :fingers-crossed:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did that and it worked
Sent from my iPad Air using Tapatalk

Rekoil said:
Not true. If you have a TA backup, install .290, unlock bootloader, install a recovery, root, reflash stock boot partition, restore TA partition, you will end up with a booting, rooted, .290 installation.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
jjpro45 said:
I did that and it worked
Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you VERY much!!! Could someone tell me how to reflash boot partition only?? The TA partition which I must restore, could be restored in 290 if backups comes from 534?

[Q] Z1 c903 Bootloader locking. Help!

Hello all! Im new in xda forum, so i will be greatefull if you help me with my Sony Z1 phone. I have Z1 c903 on android 5.0.2., and I was mad on sony becouse they didnt make update to 5.1, so i was looking on forum how to root and install some custom rom and make my phone updated. So i find on some thread that i should unlock bootloader, and i followed instructions and unlocked it, but without making some backup or anything else. So i have seen that there is official update for sony and i want to get back to lock bootloader. But when i enter flashtool and enter "blu" i click on relock bootloader, and start phone type *#*#service#*#* it say that my bootloader is still unlocked. How should i get back to locked bootloader or make official update to 5.1. Please make it more clear becouse i am pretty noob for android development and rest. Also i want to add that i have not rooted my phone or install some custom rom or other, i just have unlock bootloader and thats all. Could i get back my "DRM keys" and could i get back my ofiicial android. Thanks in advance.

koska92 said:
Hello all! Im new in xda forum, so i will be greatefull if you help me with my Sony Z1 phone. I have Z1 c903 on android 5.0.2., and I was mad on sony becouse they didnt make update to 5.1, so i was looking on forum how to root and install some custom rom and make my phone updated. So i find on some thread that i should unlock bootloader, and i followed instructions and unlocked it, but without making some backup or anything else. So i have seen that there is official update for sony and i want to get back to lock bootloader. But when i enter flashtool and enter "blu" i click on relock bootloader, and start phone type *#*#service#*#* it say that my bootloader is still unlocked. How should i get back to locked bootloader or make official update to 5.1. Please make it more clear becouse i am pretty noob for android development and rest. Also i want to add that i have not rooted my phone or install some custom rom or other, i just have unlock bootloader and thats all. Could i get back my "DRM keys" and could i get back my ofiicial android. Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
oh dear, you lost your drm keys.... thats not good....all sony own camera features (bionz, noise reduction...) are lost now. So without your drm keys, you dont get an advantage of locking bl again. SImply flash official sony 5.1.1 and here you are

Tutorial?
mo120697 said:
oh dear, you lost your drm keys.... thats not good....all sony own camera features (bionz, noise reduction...) are lost now. So without your drm keys, you dont get an advantage of locking bl again. SImply flash official sony 5.1.1 and here you are
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is there any tutorial how to flash 5.1.1. to my sony? Becouse i didnt root it, i is still my official 5.0.1 android.

koska92 said:
Is there any tutorial how to flash 5.1.1. to my sony? Becouse i didnt root it, i is still my official 5.0.1 android.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Download the ftf (general section) and flash via flashtool, but untick the 3 wipe boxes if You want t to keep your data

Thanks
mo120697 said:
Download the ftf (general section) and flash via flashtool, but untick the 3 wipe boxes if You want t to keep your data
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you link me please?

koska92 said:
Can you link me please?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
FTF:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_mcadp7d-Ivb0RoQTdmT29NN0U/view?usp=sharing
Then start at step 11:
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/how-instal...z3-z2-devices-via-xperifirm-flashtool-1492498