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[Q] Sony vs HTC recovery flashing

Hi guys,
I can't find a clear explanation of this. So I would like your help. For the time being, I'm primarily interested in rooting and not so much in a custom ROM. I'll just tell you what I do and we could take it from there. Assume an unlocked boot loader.
1. I flash the HTC recovery partition with CWM or TRWP
2. I root the phone.
3. I enjoy apps that require root.
When a HTC OTA update arrives:
1. I extract recovery.img from the OTA zip (and I use OTA-root keeper too to regain root after the OTA-update has been applied)
2. I flash HTC's recovery.img to the recovery partition (just stating the obvious)so that the phone again has the stock recovery
3. I update the phone
4. I reflash TRWP or CWM to the recovery partition
5. I use OTA-rootkeeper to regain root.
Now with Sony, I've read there is no separate recovery partition. So the bootloader does NOT load the recovery directly when asked to. Instead it loads the regular kernel which in turn loads the recovery. So it appears the kernel needs to be modified and the recovery image needs to be stored somewhere. I've picked up some terms like ELF and Ramdisk but I'm not getting the bigger picture here.
Could you please tell me what the implication are? With HTC, I can easly apply the OTA-updates using my above method and not loose any apps or data. With Sony, it appears I need to do much more?

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2439328
Basically
Download flashtool from flashtool.net
Use it to flash a .534 FW (Download any one of them from the megacollection thread in the general section)
Google Bin4ry root many android to root the phone
Let the phone update OTA
Install Dual recovery from here then update it using the package in post #321 of that thread

[Q] Just a couple questions.....

I have vzw dev ed, rooted with twrp recovery, stock everything else, I want to take the OTA and know i cant as is, i plan on using moto x toolkit to flash back to stock, here are my questions, once im back to stock and take the OTA, will i still be rooted, if not can i re root 4.4.2, do they have twrp custom recovery for 4.4.2, or should i just freeze the update and leave my phone as is?

jaysdroid2 said:
I have vzw dev ed, rooted with twrp recovery, stock everything else, I want to take the OTA and know i cant as is, i plan on using moto x toolkit to flash back to stock, here are my questions, once im back to stock and take the OTA, will i still be rooted, if not can i re root 4.4.2, do they have twrp custom recovery for 4.4.2, or should i just freeze the update and leave my phone as is?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you have a unlocked bootloader so you can root any version of android just grab the SBF file for 4.4 and flash it with RSD Lite and then take the OTA update
after the update reflash your custom recovery via the command promote command then install the SuperSU flashable zip in your recovery and enjoy your rooted 4.4.2

dray_jr said:
you have a unlocked bootloader so you can root any version of android just grab the SBF file for 4.4 and flash it with RSD Lite and then take the OTA update
after the update reflash your custom recovery via the command promote command then install the SuperSU flashable zip in your recovery and enjoy your rooted 4.4.2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
awesome, thank you, so the twrp version i used while on 4.4 will work with 4.4.2, there is not a different version for the new OS? basically once i revert back to stock and accept the OTA i just do exactly what i did the first time with the same files and i'll be where i was prior?

Yes, you can use the same TWRP version on 4.4.2, and you reinstall it the same way. However, you don't need to use RSD lite to flash an entire SBF file in order to return to stock to accept the update - you can, but it will wipe all of your apps and settings. You can fastboot the stock recovery.img and system.img to return to stock, accept the OTA, re-flash TWRP, reboot directly into TWRP, let TWRP install SU, and you're good to go.
Sent from my XT1060 Dev Edition

Interesting, where would i find just those two img. files and how would i go about flashing just those two files, sorry if i need it dumbed down, fist moto phone and first time having to use a cmd prompt screen to do anyhting, had a galaxy nexus prior and everyhting was completely.....different/simpler.

pkomarnicki said:
Yes, you can use the same TWRP version on 4.4.2, and you reinstall it the same way. However, you don't need to use RSD lite to flash an entire SBF file in order to return to stock to accept the update - you can, but it will wipe all of your apps and settings. You can fastboot the stock recovery.img and system.img to return to stock, accept the OTA, re-flash TWRP, reboot directly into TWRP, let TWRP install SU, and you're good to go.
Sent from my XT1060 Dev Edition
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
this is tru but i rather just have them use the whole file instead of flashing just parts of it because there is less chance of messing there phone up.
so it is your call either way you have to download the SBF file. then you can either flash the whole file via RSD Lite or you can unzip the recover or system images and flash them via CMD and fastboot and mfastboot.
you can find the SBF files at the link below just make sure you download the correct file for your phone
http://sbf.droid-developers.org/phone.php?device=0
here is a link to my guide should give you all the info you need to get back to stock to take the OTA
http://forum.xda-developers.com/moto-x/general/ref-how-to-root-4-4-links-guides-t2603358

Thank you all for the input, im prolly just going to revert completely to stock, i have no problem letting my apps re download and its less of a chance i fubar something, although if i do rest assured my next post will be how to un-fubar my phone

pkomarnicki said:
Yes, you can use the same TWRP version on 4.4.2, and you reinstall it the same way. However, you don't need to use RSD lite to flash an entire SBF file in order to return to stock to accept the update - you can, but it will wipe all of your apps and settings. You can fastboot the stock recovery.img and system.img to return to stock, accept the OTA, re-flash TWRP, reboot directly into TWRP, let TWRP install SU, and you're good to go.
Sent from my XT1060 Dev Edition
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This. No reason to flash back to completely stock.
jaysdroid2 said:
Interesting, where would i find just those two img. files and how would i go about flashing just those two files, sorry if i need it dumbed down, fist moto phone and first time having to use a cmd prompt screen to do anyhting, had a galaxy nexus prior and everyhting was completely.....different/simpler.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The 2 files can be found inside the sbf file.
To flash them:
fastboot flash recovery recovery.img
fastboot flash system system.img
jaysdroid2 said:
Thank you all for the input, im prolly just going to revert completely to stock, i have no problem letting my apps re download and its less of a chance i fubar something, although if i do rest assured my next post will be how to un-fubar my phone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Take this opportunity to learn something. If flashing back to stock isn't an issue for you, what's the worst that can happen? You own a dev edition, learn to take full advantage of it. It's not difficult at all..
And please, don't use a toolkit until you've learned the basics of fastboot and adb. If the toolkit fails, you'll end up having to learn it all anyways.

OTA update

Hi guys!
I've finally received 4.4.4 notification to update my German Moto x!!
I'd like to know one thing before I proceed.. If I update, will I have to root again the phone?
My phone has unlocked bootloader so there is no problem, but right now I'm on holiday and I don't have a pc to root it again..
Thanks a lot!

I have not upgrade to 4.4.4 yet.
I don't think you need to root again

Thanks!
I've read some other user just flashed the stock recovery, installed the ota and flashed back twrp recovery..
Others instead use fwz method
I think I'll wait until I'm home just to be sure I need my phone during the holidays!

daede86 said:
Thanks!
I've read some other user just flashed the stock recovery, installed the ota and flashed back twrp recovery..
Others instead use fwz method
I think I'll wait until I'm home just to be sure I need my phone during the holidays!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, i was wondering the same thing. Is there a method for someone to create an update for rooted phones?
Also can you link me to the threads for flashing back to stock and what this fwz is?
thank you

Here you can find some info about FXZ (sorry for my typo)
http://forum.xda-developers.com/moto-x/general/fxz-moto-x-4-4-4-212-55-26-t2827307
In the same thread you can find the stock recovery, a user posted it. Just search stock recovery in the thread and you'll find it!
I'm not the right person to help you in detail.
I'm not an expert user
In the meantime I froze motorola OTA app to hide the update notification..

Guys, before anyone gets in trouble....there is no FXZ for the german (or any asia/european) Moto X's yet.
The only one released is the Verizon one....so DON'T flash the verizon FXZ.
You need to flash stock recovery back, and if the phone STILL won't take the OTA, also use "mfastboot" to flash system.img from the 4.4.2 FXZ (which IS released for the european/asia models). Afterwards, the OTA should install without fail.
You WILL need to re-flash TWRP no matter which method you use. You will also need to re-root IF you flash the system.img from the 4.4.2 SBF in order to be able to accept the OTA (you only flash system.img from 4.4.2 if the OTA fails after you have flashed stock recovery - it normally means you have modified /system in some way, and restoring the full system.img fixes this issue).
Good Luck - Remember: Don't flash the Verizon 4.4.4 FXZ to your non-Verizon phone. Not a good idea...

If your phone doesn't vary from Stock but rooted, you can get away with flashing stock recovery back on there and taking the OTA. (OTA wont install via custom recovery like TWRP, CWM, etc). And if that is the case, you will retain root. You can optionally flash TWRP back on there.
If you have Xposed installed, it will need to be disabled or removed for the OTA install to work.
It is when you mess with stock files in /System or other folders on the phone.. i.e. remove, rename, etc. files from them, that you may also need to flash system.img and possibly other parts. This is due to verification checks in the OTA zip itself. If you have to flash those parts, you will have to re-root. Not an issue if you have an unlocked bootloader.

Thanks a lot for your help and clarification!!
I knew I wasn't the right person

Guys just to be sure of the right process..
-download the actual sbf of my phone
-extract recovery.img from the sbf
-remove xposed
-flash the recovery with flashify
-take the ota
-flash back twrp recovery
Am I right?!
Thanks a lot

daede86 said:
Guys just to be sure of the right process..
-download the actual sbf of my phone
-extract recovery.img from the sbf
-remove xposed
-flash the recovery with flashify
-take the ota
-flash back twrp recovery
Am I right?!
Thanks a lot
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
IF you do not vary too much from Stock (i.e. didn't remove, rename or replace any "stock" files on your phone), then yes.
Oh, for Xposed, there is a disabler ZIP you can flash from custom recovery located in /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/de.robv.android.xposed.installer (or /SdCard/Android/data/de.robv.android.xposed.installer ) instead of removing it, as sometimes removing it doesn't undo all the changes.

Straight Rooted Lollipop Method?

I was wondering if this would be possible:
Use Recovery to flash a rooted stock Lollipop system partition, then flash everything else from stock FTF, but skip system. This would overwrite the (currently useless) recovery with stock content, but you'd be rooted.
Forgive me if that's what the current method does. I'm trying to avoid a compromised/non-functional/boot-looping recovery if the current method installs one, but if the recovery in that method simply overwrites itself with stock then I'm fine with that. I just don't understand what's installed in the recovery sequence when you finish following the current method on a LB device.

i dont think it will be possible since sony is really good at patching holes in their system

I've tried, it doesn't work.

How to root starting from stock ROM 12.1.A.1.201

Hello,
I recently got a Sony Xperia SP which has never been rooted before. It has the original Sony ROM with build number 12.1.A.1.201. I would like to root this phone. I tried every tool I could find on this forum, amongst other the Doomlord toolkit and towelroot. However, none of these tools was able to give me root access according to root checker apps. It seems that with my current ROM, the exploits that these tools use have been patched. Flashing TWRP as recovery does not work: the command "fastboot flash recovery twrp.img" fails with a message "Partition not found".
Could you guys recommend a strategy to root this phone without bricking it? I was thinking to flash an older ROM, root it, and then update to the new ROM. However, I don't know where to find older ROMs for my phone. Also, how do I backup my current ROM if I cannot install TWRP first? Thanks for helping me out here!
Simon

Root with towel root and you need to unlock boot loader for recovery and custom roms

ervinakoc x said:
Root with towel root and you need to unlock boot loader for recovery and custom roms
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd like to, but as said before:
simon415 said:
I tried every tool I could find on this forum, amongst other the Doomlord toolkit and towelroot. However, none of these tools was able to give me root access according to root checker apps. It seems that with my current ROM, the exploits that these tools use have been patched. Flashing TWRP as recovery does not work: the command "fastboot flash recovery twrp.img" fails with a message "Partition not found".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

https://towelroot.com/tr.apk Download from this