[GUIDE] Getting Your Ultra Rooted And Ready For Flashing [UPDATED] - Sony Xperia Z Ultra

GETTING YOUR ULTRA ROOTED AND
READY FOR FLASHING
This guide should in theory make your Ultra ready for flashing custom ROMs, and with that said...
...here comes the warning: Your warranty is now voided. I am not responsible for bricked
devices, or whatever you might end up with.
​
TABLE OF CONTENT
ROOT ALL THE THINGS
ROOTING .108
ROOTING .757
ROOTING .681
ROOTING .290/.136
ROOTING .532
ROOTING GPe
DOWNGRADING
BACKUP TA PARTITION
CHANGE CDA
UNLOCKING THE BOOTLOADER
INSTALLING RECOVERY AND TWRP
FLASHING A CUSTOM ROM
BACK TO STOCK
BOOTLOOP
MISSING IMEI
CREDITS
​
BACKUP YOUR TA PARTITION BEFORE YOU UNLOCK THE BOOTLOADER​
IF YOU'RE NEW AROUND HERE AND YOU WANT TO ROOT .757, DOWNGRADE TO .532 AND ROOT, AND THEN BACKUP YOUR TA PARTITION. PROCEED TO UNLOCK YOUR BOOTLOADER, UPGRADE TO .757 AGAIN AND ROOT BY FOLLOWING THE SHORT GUIDE HERE.
ROOT ALL THE THINGS:
Thanks to @geohot, we're now able to root (almost) all the things, meaning there is now one tool for rooting. This tool doesn't touch the bootloader, so it also works on locked bootloaders. Be sure to backup your TA partition after you've rooted (in case you want to unlock the bootloader). You can find the tool here.
Note: This tool will not work on the GPe model.
ROOTING .108:
Go to this thread and follow the steps.
ROOTING .757:
Same procedure as with .681, so just go to this thread and follow the steps. Requires an unlocked bootloader.
ROOTING .681:
Rooting .681 (first KitKat build) is pretty straight forward and requires an unlocked bootloader.
After that, just flash the kernel and then SuperSU. You can download and follow the short guide here. The kernel includes Recovery.
ROOTING .290/.136:
.290
• Unlocked bootloader: Follow this thread.
• Locked bootloader: Follow this thread.
.136
• Unlocked bootloader: Follow this thread.
ROOTING .532:
• Use this tool to root
ROOTING GPe:
GPe OWNERS: DO NOT TRY TO FLASH FTFs OR OTHER "XPERIA" ROMs AND KERNELS.
YOU WILL BRICK YOUR DEVICE.
Go to this thread and follow the steps. Thanks to @blueether.
DOWNGRADING:
• Download and install Flashtool (if you're running Windows 8, follow this installation guide) (Jump down to "Part 2" of the guide)
• If you're having issues with driver installation, install this one.
If you have issues, or simply have no clue how to install ADB and Fastboot, install and run this.
• Download NUT's 532 firmware from here
• Flash it by following this short guide
BACKUP TA PARTITION:
The TA partition holds all your unique DRM keys, and X-Reality won't work without it (except if you're on .681 or later).
Once you lose it, you can't get it back, so back it up and upload it to your Dropbox or something. So how do you backup your TA partition?
• Download this tiny tool on your computer and run it.
Here's a video tutorial by @hamdogg
CHANGE CDA (OLD):
This step is no longer necessary.
• Install a file explorer from the Play Store. I recommend Solid Explorer or ES File Explorer.
• Navigate to /system and open build.prop
• Change your CDA to: C6833_1275-8026 (there are three different places this has to be changed.
Just take your time and try to find something that resembles the CDA code above.
• Next you'll want to find "ro.somc.customerid" and change it to 436
• Next you'll want to find "ro.semc.version.cust_revision" and change it to R11A
• Now reboot your device
• The OTA update should arrive now. If it doesn't, go to "Update Center" (app) and manually refresh.
• Update to 257
• The root app (i'm not sure what app it installs) might be gone, so just install
SuperSU from the Play Store if it's not in your app drawer anymore. Update binaries and choose "Normal".
UNLOCKING THE BOOTLOADER:
This may wipe your phone, so backup your stuff
• Go to Sony's dev site
• Request the unlock key and check your mail straight away. Email is quick these days.
• Open Flashtool on your computer (yes, the one you installed earlier)
• Click the "BLU" icon
• Follow the steps and enter your unlock key
INSTALLING RECOVERY AND TWRP:
• Just run this tool on your computer.
• Boot into Recovery (POWER + VOL UP)and take a NAND backup ASAP.
It'll "save your life" (or time) when you're soft bricking your Ultra.
FLASHING A CUSTOM ROM:
• Find a ROM
• Move the ROM (and gapps if it is required) to a folder on your Ultra and remember where you put them
• You'll see that you'll need to flash a "boot.img" before you flash anything, so download this
• Now go to this thread and download QuickIMG and follow the short guide
• Flash the boot.img
• Now unplug from the computer and enter Recovery by pressing the Power button.
Once you see the green LED, push and hold VOL UP. If you fail, just press and hold POWER + VOL UP until you
notice some rapid vibrations. Now try again.
• Once you're in Recovery it's the usual stuff. Flash the ROM and gapps and wipe data/cache/dalvik etc.
• Reboot
BACK TO STOCK:
So you have to send your Ultra to a service center and you want to get it back to 100% stock.
Be sure to be on a STOCK kernel before restoring the TA partition or re-locking the bootloader.
• Restore your TA partition using the tool from the "Backup TA Partition" part of this guide.
• If your bootloader hasn't been locked by the TA tool, use Flashtool and press the BLU button and choose "Relock".
• You may not be able to boot now if you're on a custom ROM, so fire up Flashtool again and flash a stock ROM.
BLINKING RED LED:
So, you locked it while on a custom kernel, and all you get now is a blinking red LED above your screen.
Simply unlock the bootloader in Flashtool again, and it'll work again.
You should now be back on stock, un-rooted and with TA and bootloader in place. If you're back on stock,
but the bootloader is still unlocked, get back to 532, root, lock the bootloader, and then flash a FTF in Flashtool again.
BOOTLOOP:
You've ended in a bootloop and you have no idea what to do. A bootloop is when the boot animation is looping, and you're stuck.
We'll start out easy and go harder as we go down the list.
• [SAFE] Boot into Recovery and wipe cache and go to "Advanced" and wipe Dalvik. Reboot and see if it boots now.
• [SAFE] Boot into Recovery and re-flash the ROM and see if that does the job
• [WIPE] Boot into Recovery and wipe data (this will wipe everything) and reboot
• [WIPE] Boot into Recovery and flash a different ROM (wipe data after flash) and reboot
• [LAST RESORT] Fire up Flashtool and flash a stock FTF and get a new hobby
MISSING IMEI:
You downgraded from 290 or later, didn't you? Well, you'll have to update again or flash [NUT]'s .532 build.
CREDITS:
- @herogjan - The mighty discoverer of the OTA root method
- @krabappel2548 - The Belgian Don (guides, ROMs etc.)
- @RyokoN - ROOT Wizard
- @hamdogg - Bootloader help
- @fastest83 - Achievement unlocked [1/168]
- @sfagundes - For the GPe root guide
- @hamdogg - For helping people and for the video(s)
- [FONT=Arial [user=3534362]@blueether[/user] - For helping an incredible amount of people around here[/FONT]

---

LordManhattan said:
............
DOWN THE ROAD:
"I want to go back! Back to stock!"
- Boot into Recovery and restore the NAND backup you made after you installed Recovery. If you didn't; "son, i am disappoint".
CREDITS:
- @herogjan - The mighty discoverer of the OTA root method
- @krabappel2548 - The Belgian Don (guides, ROMs etc.)
- @RyokoN - ROOT Wizard
- @LarryPage - Coffee
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe/sometime you will loose(?) the recovery after the backup restored. It happen to me at the latest back-to-stock from CM10.2.
I just need to get the recovery back with this:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2426739

---

abuihsan said:
Maybe/sometime you will loose(?) the recovery after the backup restored. It happen to me at the latest back-to-stock from CM10.2.
I just need to get the recovery back with this:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2426739
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Shouldn't happen if your backup already has the right kernel with Recovery, but i've seen stranger things happen, so i'll add that if it happens, then just re-install Recovery. Thanks

---

LordManhattan said:
Shouldn't happen if your backup already has the right kernel with Recovery, but i've seen stranger things happen, so i'll add that if it happens, then just re-install Recovery. Thanks : )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes it strange as it only happen with my latest back-to-stock. my stock backup is with rooted .257 where as far as I know still don't have proper kernel+recovery like .526 or .532 has.

---

Bread guide will help me when I want to get gpe rom on my ultra.

---

Nice guide, where was it last week?
Would it be possible for you to add a "So you need so send your ZU back to Sony" section covering restoring the TA partition and relocking the bootloader?

---

LordManhattan said:
Shouldn't happen if your backup already has the right kernel with Recovery, but i've seen stranger things happen, so i'll add that if it happens, then just re-install Recovery. Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
abuihsan said:
Maybe/sometime you will loose(?) the recovery after the backup restored. It happen to me at the latest back-to-stock from CM10.2.
I just need to get the recovery back with this:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2426739
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
abuihsan said:
Yes it strange as it only happen with my latest back-to-stock. my stock backup is with rooted .257 where as far as I know still don't have proper kernel+recovery like .526 or .532 has.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have noticed when I restored my nand a couple times when I then try reboot it comes up about not installing stock recovery there's about 10 no's which if you click installs stock you need to click the one yes not install stock recovery....
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

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pTeronaut said:
Nice guide, where was it last week?
Would it be possible for you to add a "So you need so send your ZU back to Sony" section covering restoring the TA partition and relocking the bootloader?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sure, but I'm busy right now so that has to wait.
Sent from my C6833 using Tapatalk

---

LordManhattan said:
Sure, but I'm busy right now so that has to wait.
Sent from my C6833 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
requested sticky...
here is a video I made on how to backup TA partition. also discusses what to do to restore your TA partition..
youtube ID : 8TowVR7CNQQ
I'll do a more comprehensive video in 3 days I hope... but for the moment this should be fine.
feel free to shove that in the OP
PS... can't believe that I'm the only one thats said thanks so far... tick... tick... BOOM!

---

Alright, i can add the "going back to stock" part, but i have never relocked the bootloader and restored the TA, so i'm not sure in what order we should do it. Relocking the bootloader is easy. Just use the TA backup tool and restore your backup, and it will lock the bootloader again. But, here's my question. This requires root, so we can't do it when we've flashed the stock firmware using Flashtool since we'll lose root. So i guess if a person is running CM, he'll have to restore TA and also lock the bootloader while on CM, but this will cause a soft brick, but then he can just flash the stock TFT in Flashtool?
Any ideas? I'm asking because i don't want to write something that's not 100% right.

---

hamdogg said:
requested sticky...
here is a video I made on how to backup TA partition. also discusses what to do to restore your TA partition..
youtube ID : 8TowVR7CNQQ
I'll do a more comprehensive video in 3 days I hope... but for the moment this should be fine.
feel free to shove that in the OP
PS... can't believe that I'm the only one thats said thanks so far... tick... tick... BOOM!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
@hamdogg Added! And thank you Btw, do you have any ideas regarding my relocking of the bootloader? Check my post above this one.

---

LordManhattan said:
Alright, i can add the "going back to stock" part, but i have never relocked the bootloader and restored the TA, so i'm not sure in what order we should do it. Relocking the bootloader is easy. Just use the TA backup tool and restore your backup, and it will lock the bootloader again. But, here's my question. This requires root, so we can't do it when we've flashed the stock firmware using Flashtool since we'll lose root. So i guess if a person is running CM, he'll have to restore TA and also lock the bootloader while on CM, but this will cause a soft brick, but then he can just flash the stock TFT in Flashtool?
Any ideas? I'm asking because i don't want to write something that's not 100% right.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I ever restored TA backup once but that was before I flash Cm at the first time.
When I back-to-stock by restoring nand, bootloader still unlocked.
I wondered if we have nandroid stock (with locked bootloader) , then we unlock, then we flash CM or other custom roms,
can we then just restore the nandroid stok (with locked boot loader) without any problem and we will have our TA partition back and relocked without restore the TA first?

---

LordManhattan said:
@hamdogg Added! And thank you Btw, do you have any ideas regarding my relocking of the bootloader? Check my post above this one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When I sent mine in for repair I had to reroot first... But most people will be rooted.. so:
1)restored the TA partition,
2)locked the bootloader (checked after restoring the TA partition and it was still unlocked)
3)flashed a stock FTF.
Then it was completely stock.
Post this in the OP for locking bootloader
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Download the latest flashtool from:
http://ul.to/3kjpyj70 [v0.9.13.0]
Before you relock the bootloader you have to be on a stock kernel or else the device WILL NOT BOOT.
-We recommend that you will need to return to a Sony STOCK FTF if you are currently on a custom ROM-
Steps:
1) Download Flashtool. Start Flashtool and click on BLU button
2) You will be asked to connect device in flashmode
3) Once you connect the device, you'll be prompted to "Relock"
4) Click on it, and when prompted, disconnect your Ultra

---

Thanks, I'll add it to the guide in a couple of minutes
Sent from my C6833 using Tapatalk

---

LordManhattan said:
Thanks, I'll add it to the guide in a couple of minutes
Sent from my C6833 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
there is a new flashtool driver version too. It probably wont matter... but you could add it into the FAQ section or something. For those having issues with flashtool...
v1.1 drivers for flashtool and xperia 2013 devices.
http://d-h.st/Wyk

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Thank you very much! I've added it under downgrading, and I also added the ADB and Fastboot Windows installer for people that have trouble installing those manually.
Sent from my C6833 using Tapatalk

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Oh me gawd. Information overload
WoW. Very Read. Total Information. Much Thanks. WoW.
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Srsly thou. Great job
Sent from my Xperia Z Ultra using Tapatalk 4

---

LordManhattan said:
- You'll see that you'll need to flash a "boot.img" before you flash anything, so download this
- Now go to this thread and download QuickIMG and follow the short guide
- Flash the boot.img
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't need to do that. I was on stock Sony build 257 and had never flashed AOSP before. All I did was root the phone, update OTA, install recovery and just flash a ROM. Looks like Sony's official unlock is unlike HTC dev unlock and doesn't need a PC (fastboot) to flash ROMs.

---

ChillyChan said:
I didn't need to do that. I was on stock Sony build 257 and had never flashed AOSP before. All I did was root the phone, update OTA, install recovery and just flash a ROM. Looks like Sony's official unlock is unlike HTC and doesn't need a PC (fastboot) to flash ROMs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, it seems like it's a hit or miss with the whole boot.img. First time i tried to flash Omni (coming from 257) it wouldn't flash if i didn't flash the boot.img first, but it worked just fine after flashing it, so it seems like people have different experiences and outcomes with the whole ROM flashing, and that's why i just included it so the people that uses this guide gets to the finish line. It's a "fail safe" way of doing it.

---

LordManhattan said:
Yeah, it seems like it's a hit or miss with the whole boot.img. First time i tried to flash Omni (coming from 257) it wouldn't flash if i didn't flash the boot.img first, but it worked just fine after flashing it, so it seems like people have different experiences and outcomes with the whole ROM flashing, and that's why i just included it so the people that uses this guide gets to the finish line. It's a "fail safe" way of doing it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True that. It appears (as someone mentioned) there's a problem with Omni's install script. Other ROMs flash fine from stock without the need for fastboot.