Database Develop

[Q] C6903 .290 Need help with root, downgrade, TA backup

Alrighty some background info and where I'm at. I've got some dev (Android XML layout fixes) experience on a custom ROM on i9300 and I finally decided to upgrade my phone onto the beasty Xperia Z1.
My phone came factory shipped with .290. It's the C6903 model. I've been looking up videos and trying to find info about where to begin with getting my root, bootloader, cwm, and custom ROM install going. Then I found out about the TA partition and that even though my phone allows me to unlock the bootloader, it's a smart idea to first backup the TA partition before I unlock my bootloader via the $ony website. With the TA backed up I can revert my phone back to stock at some point and restore the TA so that my phone looks basically factory fresh. So I realised that I probably ought to back up my TA in case of any warranty issues. Which means I need to get my phone rooted before anything else. (I hope my assessment has been correct so far, it would be awesome if someone can verify the above paragraph)
Now this is where I am completely confused. I've attempted to use VRoot - and of course it does not support the .290 firmware.
Then I found out that it is possible to downgrade the firmware so that I can root and TA backup before bootloader unlock. This is the knowledge level I am up to. I have no idea which firmware to downgrade to or how to even actually perform a successful downgrade. (I've kinda gotten frustrated at the huge slab of info and I need some specific info from some users more experienced at this than I am at this point..)
I read how some people have flashed down to .534 and others have flashed down to .257. I would like to know exactly what steps I should take and which is the best firmware to downgrade to, just to do a root crack and TA backup. Can you even downgrade firmware without bootloader involved?
Basically the flow of what I need to do right now is this (I think):
1) Downgrade firmware to probably .534 from my current .290 (I need to flash the FTF using Flashtool, correct?)
2) Install Root with VRoot
3) TA Backup (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2292598&highlight=ta)
4) Upgrade back to .290 (Do I do this via OTA? I hope it is not difficult to do it via some command line tools if it comes to that..)
--- Above step also gets rid of most of Root access provided to the older firmware (this is what I've read.. Is this correct?)
5) Unlock bootloader (must do this in version .290 to avoid the camera bug), via guide on Sony website
6) Go crazy with all the custom things I want to install - CWMRecovery, CM11, etc
7) ???
8) Profit
Can someone please tell me if the above list is the order I need to proceed with?
:good: Thanks for any help you guys can give me. I am truly frustrated by this 290 firmware version! And reading all the topics about people who bricked after attempting similar things without knowing exactly what they needed to do and which order to do it in..
tl;dr - On .290 firmware, I want to backup TA before I unlock bootloader, which firmware version do I downgrade to?

SleepinDevil said:
Alrighty some background info and where I'm at. I've got some dev (Android XML layout fixes) experience on a custom ROM on i9300 and I finally decided to upgrade my phone onto the beasty Xperia Z1.
My phone came factory shipped with .290. It's the C6903 model. I've been looking up videos and trying to find info about where to begin with getting my root, bootloader, cwm, and custom ROM install going. Then I found out about the TA partition and that even though my phone allows me to unlock the bootloader, it's a smart idea to first backup the TA partition before I unlock my bootloader via the $ony website. With the TA backed up I can revert my phone back to stock at some point and restore the TA so that my phone looks basically factory fresh. So I realised that I probably ought to back up my TA in case of any warranty issues. Which means I need to get my phone rooted before anything else. (I hope my assessment has been correct so far, it would be awesome if someone can verify the above paragraph)
Now this is where I am completely confused. I've attempted to use VRoot - and of course it does not support the .290 firmware.
Then I found out that it is possible to downgrade the firmware so that I can root and TA backup before bootloader unlock. This is the knowledge level I am up to. I have no idea which firmware to downgrade to or how to even actually perform a successful downgrade. (I've kinda gotten frustrated at the huge slab of info and I need some specific info from some users more experienced at this than I am at this point..)
I read how some people have flashed down to .534 and others have flashed down to .257. I would like to know exactly what steps I should take and which is the best firmware to downgrade to, just to do a root crack and TA backup. Can you even downgrade firmware without bootloader involved?
Basically the flow of what I need to do right now is this (I think):
1) Downgrade firmware to probably .534 from my current .290 (I need to flash the FTF using Flashtool, correct?)
2) Install Root with VRoot
3) TA Backup (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2292598&highlight=ta)
4) Upgrade back to .290 (Do I do this via OTA? I hope it is not difficult to do it via some command line tools if it comes to that..)
--- Above step also gets rid of most of Root access provided to the older firmware (this is what I've read.. Is this correct?)
5) Unlock bootloader (must do this in version .290 to avoid the camera bug), via guide on Sony website
6) Go crazy with all the custom things I want to install - CWMRecovery, CM11, etc
7) ???
8) Profit
Can someone please tell me if the above list is the order I need to proceed with?
:good: Thanks for any help you guys can give me. I am truly frustrated by this 290 firmware version! And reading all the topics about people who bricked after attempting similar things without knowing exactly what they needed to do and which order to do it in..
tl;dr - On .290 firmware, I want to backup TA before I unlock bootloader, which firmware version do I downgrade to?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, you need to downgrade to .534 and root before you can backup your TA
Here is a guide on how to achieve that
If you follow the video guide you will end up with rooted .290
Then backup you TA:
and go to Sony's website to unlock the bootloader. An unlocked bootloader will let you flash custom kernels to your phone and thus you will be able to use roms such as CM, AOSP etc.
NEXT TIME PLEASE READ BEFORE CREATING A NEW THREAD. THIS HAS BEEN COVERED 100's OF TIMES

in general you have to do these steps:
downgrade to an early firmware that can be rooted and root it.
then install dual recovery.
in dual recovery wipe your phone, flash rom, flash again superuser and again dual recovery.
power off phone.
power on and direct flash kernel,baseband, bootbundle. for this i would recommend using NUTs stripped FTF files. also from his site you get recovery and superuser/supersu.
you only loose TA when you unlock your bootloader. unlocking is only neccessary if you plan to flash a custom kernel too.
when you are on rooted firmware backup TA, you never know if you need it later.
a good step by step tutorial is iHackers 2.1 thread.
also be prepared that actually there is a chance to brick your device. many can be restored using Sony Update Service or by flashing a full stock FTF, but some devices need a new mainboard. things are a litte bit tricky at the moment

shem2409 said:
Yes, you need to downgrade to .534 and root before you can backup your TA
Here is a guide on how to achieve that
If you follow the video guide you will end up with rooted .290
Then backup you TA:
and go to Sony's website to unlock the bootloader. An unlocked bootloader will let you flash custom kernels to your phone and thus you will be able to use roms such as CM, AOSP etc.
NEXT TIME PLEASE READ BEFORE CREATING A NEW THREAD. THIS HAS BEEN COVERED 100's OF TIMES
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When on 4.3 and I tried many time still can't downgraded to 534. How to do it? Thank!
Lukily my TA had been backup.
Send from GT-I9506 using Tapatalk
Devices: Samsung GT-I9506 and Sony Z1 C6903

timberwolf60 said:
When on 4.3 and I tried many time still can't downgraded to 534. How to do it? Thank!
Lukily my TA had been backup.
Send from GT-I9506 using Tapatalk
Devices: Samsung GT-I9506 and Sony Z1 C6903
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here is a video on how to use flashtool
The previous video that I have sent you shows you step by step how to do everything

[Q] How to backup TA without root

Hey everyone,
I spend a lot of time trying to root my wonderful new Xperia Z1, the problem is that I want to make a TA backup before I unlock the bootloader but I can´t find a method anywhere to root the phone without unlocking the bootloader. And as far as I know you can only backup TA with root access...
Do you have any good idea how I can solve this problem?
Thanks in advance
Edit: I´m running android 4.3 /.290

You didn't search very well. You can root your phone with Locked Bootlader with this method only, by NUT .
Link: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2572988
then go with this one
Link: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2628185

I found that aswell, but I was a little confused because the requirements say
Current rooted FW version: 14.1.G.1.534 and 14.1.G.2.257 .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So I guess it already has to be rooted with another firmware, but how I´m supposed to get that version on my phone without unlocked bootloader or root?

shadow on the wall said:
I found that aswell, but I was a little confused because the requirements say
So I guess it already has to be rooted with another firmware, but how I´m supposed to get that version on my phone without unlocked bootloader or root?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry, i can't understand how you can miss all this stuff. Did you saw the Video Tutorial? There Shem explain everything, you have just to read carefully. Downgrade to .534 FW provided by NUT to not lost IMEI, Root with Bin4ry, update to .290 like the instruction saying then the same for .136.

Ok it worked now, sorry, I just had no idea how that should work, the video explained a lot.
Thanks for answering anyway

[Q] Help with CWM, Cyanogenmod etc

i know what you're thinking.. if youre asking for help you probably shouldn't be playing around with this stuff.. well, it's just that i've only recently switch from iDevices, to the Xperia Z1, i've only ever had apple products until 5 months ago.
i've searched for hours yet can not find "simple" enough guides for "noobs". i'm not stupid, its just confusing being linked to site after site after site just to find step one.
i'm stock, 14.2.A.1.136, ive read i must root to do TA Backup, i've tried downgrading (to a rootable FW) using flashtool etc, but i just kept getting bootloop (unchecked all boxed and check the "dont verify"?). i cannot flash a rooted 1.136 because you must have unlocked bootloader, & if i do it without ta backup, ill lose my keys..
i guess what i'm asking is if someone can provide the correct way to downgrade to a rootable firmware. what steps do i take in doing it all correctly, as in, downgrading, rooting, flashing cwm, kernals, cyanogenmod etc.

Downgrade to 543 via flashtool, root your device and upgrade it with the method provided by nut
Gesendet von meinem C6903 mit Tapatalk

Use .534 FW provided by NUT from Post #3 HERE, then Root with Bin4ry and Install Dual Recovery, then Follow the instruction from HERE to Update directly to .136. When you got Rooted your Phone you can Backup TA First then Unlock Bootloader and then think to install CM. Watch Video Tutorial Hot to Root too.

eclyptos said:
Use .534 FW provided by NUT from Post #3 HERE, then Root with Bin4ry and Install Dual Recovery, then Follow the instruction from HERE to Update directly to .136. When you got Rooted your Phone you can Backup TA First then Unlock Bootloader and then think to install CM. Watch Video Tutorial Hot to Root too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks guys.
if i was wanting to just install cwm & cyanogenmod, is there any need to updated from the rooted .534 to 1.136? or can i just flash them both while on the rooted .534?
i've no access to a computer atm, but will downgrade when i can & click thanks.
EDIT; bootloader unloack bug exists with 4.2, which is why i have to update to 1.136, just remebered that. Aha

[Q] Xperia SP CM11 install guide without unlocking bootloader

Because I saw today that Xperia SP won't get official KitKat from Sony, I want to install latest CM11 because I want to use full potential of my phone and because I simply like Vanilla Android experience. I bought my phone on contract and I can't unlock bootloader. I need full guide from beggining to end how to install CM11. My firmware is 12.1.A.1.205 and I need full guide from rooting, installing cmw and finally booting CM11.
Thanks in advance,
your brx1997.
p.s.
also I would need links for any 3rd party program that should be used
(I CHECKED MY PHONE AND MY BOOTLOADER CAN'T BE UNLOCKED).

brx1997 said:
Because I saw today that Xperia SP won't get official KitKat from Sony, I want to install latest CM11 because I want to use full potential of my phone and because I simply like Vanilla Android experience. I bought my phone on contract and I can't unlock bootloader. I need full guide from beggining to end how to install CM11. My firmware is 12.1.A.1.205 and I need full guide from rooting, installing cmw and finally booting CM11.
Thanks in advance,
your brx1997.
p.s.
also I would need links for any 3rd party program that should be used
(I CHECKED MY PHONE AND MY BOOTLOADER CAN'T BE UNLOCKED).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For rooting you can read this : Just read on the topic regarding Rooting and Recovery.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/xperia-sp/general/root-ultimate-noobs-guide-to-rooting-t2845520
For CM11 I just flashed mine with this. This is for Locked Bootlader
http://forum.xda-developers.com/xpe...anogenmod-11-locked-bootloader-users-t2868398

azri269 said:
For rooting you can read this : Just read on the topic regarding Rooting and Recovery.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/xperia-sp/general/root-ultimate-noobs-guide-to-rooting-t2845520
For CM11 I just flashed mine with this. This is for Locked Bootlader
http://forum.xda-developers.com/xpe...anogenmod-11-locked-bootloader-users-t2868398
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks dude very much it really helped me :good::good::good:

How to root (D5803) on Android 5.1.1 (23.4.A.1.200) without unlocking the bootloader?

Hey guys, the title sais it all!
I have some expirience with flashing roms and custom recoveries and rooting, but on Samsung phones its SO much easier then on Sony. I read through some stuff with flashboot and ADB and what not and I don't really get it. All the ''step by step'' guides are not step by step, their using terms that a normal person wouldn't understand. So I was just wondering if anyone here knew the easiest way to root my Z3 compact running on the latest firmware, without unlocking the bootloader?

http://forum.xda-developers.com/z3-compact/general/how-to-root-backup-drm-keys-t3013343
Downgrade the firmware, as the root exploit only works with older firmware such as 23.0.A.2.93.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Long story short, you can't root using the latest firmware. Follow the guide to root.