Flashing recovery on Sony XPERIA T3 - Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hello! How are you?
I am installing recovery image on my XPERIA T3 D5103 to flash custom ROMs, but it's quite hard to get the way to.
To obtain root access, I used kingroot (androidxda.com/download-kingroot-application) which works fine, then I needed to flash a recovery to manage ROM zip.
First thing I noticed when I tried to flash the recovery, is the bootloader wasn't unlocked, so it didn't permit to do any write operation.
I followed the Sony's method (developer.sonymobile.com/unlockbootloader/unlock-yourboot-loader) to unlock the bootloader and it worked.
At the moment, everything seemed downhill but I'm still stuck with partition table. In fact, fastboot doesn't find partition table when I install the recovery.
Here's my /proc/mount (pastebin.com/raw.php?i=Jy57nUza).
What's the next step I should take?
I'd like to back-up current stock ROM and keep track of current partition as well.
Edit: I noticed I could install Emma software from Sony and manage recoverys from there.
Is it possibile to use it without subscription or is there another method?
Thank you so much!

Related

[Q] Ways to get new bootloader

As some of You may know, Sony gives as opportunity to use /recovery partition.
My question is if I still need to use EMMA or some update (.270, .283 for Tmo) has this bootloader built in?
I ask, coz I read (maybe its just gossip) the M2 with 18.3.1.C.1.17 got new bootloader (ofc it still needs unlocked bootloader to flash recovery).
Additionally i would like to ask someone who use it, how to flash recovery to this partition.
And what when i flash stock rom. Is it overwritten? Or recovery is always there?
I think recovery isn't flashed unless you flash it, because even flashtool doesn't do it.
Recovery can be flashed through fastboot using "flash recovery xyz.img", where xyz.img is your recovery but you have to compile one yourself as I haven't seen any already compiled.
Sadly, none update has integrated this bootloader update so far, maybe sony will surprise us with the 5.1.1 update and include it so yes, you have to use Emma.
EDIT: You can download AOSP package from freexperia, they have build an AOSP recovery that you can boot into with the new bootloader but the menu is missing, however I can be wrong because I have tried it a month ago, maybe some changes were made

Root and recovery on Lollipop

Managed to get my hands on a cheap second hand TabZ in good condition. And although Sony's Lollipop firmware looks and feels nice I really want to go the custom Rom road as it allows me to tinker more with it.
Now is when the situation gets complicated as it seems there is a plethora of versions, some more complicated then others, to root the device and install a recovery on it. My questions to you, anybody willing to clear these things out, are:
1. Does the bootloader need to be unlocked in order to obtain root for a tablet already running Lollipop? (I read in one thread that starting with Lollipop this might not be required anymore)
2. What is the best way of getting root?
3. How do you install recovery? I understand the XZDualRecovery to be really popular but some of the instructions can be mind boggling (the use of Kernel Builder to repack the kernel in order to replace the built in recovery with XZDualRecovery). Is this the same as flashing a recovery every time I install a new ROM before rebooting if I want to still have one (basically there is no permanent one, but changes with the rom you are flashing?! )
Any help would be much appreciated as I am stuck as I have never been with rooting and installing recovery on a device. Thanks!
1&2. Bootloader is not directly connected with Root. Unlocked bootloader allows you to install custom ROMs like FXP, cDroid, CyanogenMod and others.
For rooting stock Sony Rom rooting doesn't usually need bootloader unlock.
For example for 4.4.4 and 5.0.2 firmwares KingRoot will help you to root device. For other firmware, other tools exist.
3. For installing Custom Roms like FXP, CyanogenMod and others you need unlocked bootloader.
XZDualRecovery is mainly used for stock Sony Rom and based on stock roms.
For custom roms you can flash TWRP recovery to FOTA partition which will be permanent and will allow you to install any custom rom.
Also before bootloader unlock, get root and Backup TA partition of your device.

Can't access anything

So, I think I finally did it. I broke my phone.
I wanted to flash the new Existenz Rom 6.0 and the flashing worked fine. The phone started and it got stuck in the Xperia logo. I than downloaded the Bootloop Fix. To make sure nothing goes wrong I wanted to do another factory reset. Somehow, my phone uses two roms (Philz custom recovery or something like that (I flashed the rom with this) and a TWRP Recovery). My phone booted into the TWRP (which it usually doesn't do) Recovery and I thought "Well, I can do a factory reset here". So I did the advanced reset but after restarting I can't access anything! When I turn it on, there is still the Sony Logo but if I press up and down I can't access none of the custom recoverys. I'm truly desperate and I can't afford a new phone. Can someone help me how to fix this?
@DerDokktor
XZDR and similar recoveries for locked bootloader reside in /system partition , when you wiped your system you also wiped the recovery...
You'll need to flash an .ftf firmware with flashtool to recover your phone. If you want root and a locked bootloader flash a KK or LP ftf (as MM is not rootable yet), then root it with kingroot or something else you like, install XZDR from your computer and then you can go to the recovery again and flash existenz rom or any prerooted rom you want.
You could also flash a MM .ftf directly but then you won't be able to root it without unlocking your BL.
If you need help with flashtool follow this guide:
http://www.xperiablog.net/2015/03/1...peria-lollipop-using-xperifirm-and-flashtool/
Edit: the first steps of this guide are to create your own .ftf , if you already have an .ftf downloaded you can go straight to the "Now that the FTF firmware file has been created, you need to flash your Sony Xperia device." section of the guide.

Help with Unrooting Xperia M4

Hello all,
I followed this method: http://forum.xda-developers.com/m4-aqua/general/root-t3421932
And I sucessfully installed TWRP and rooted my phone. Everything worked fine so far, I was able to use root and access the custom recovery all normal.
Now I come across a discrepancy, I wanted to update the new PokeGo app by following this tutorial, to install in a rooted phone: (the new update blocks access to all rooted/jailbroken phones)
http://www.androidpolice.com/2016/09/11/guide-play-pokemon-go-0-37-rooted-android-magisk/
But I found a situation when I want to uninstall root, in SU, I get an error of uninstallation failed... I tried all the options and I can't seem to revert root. Another situation is, when I try to boot up the custom recovery, It gets stuck in the white sony bg logo and it doesn't boot up. I tried to flash recovery img again by flashboot and it didn't work... Now I'm stuck with no recovery or a way to make a backup of everything..
So the question is, and i guess i know the answer already but I will ask anyways, is there any way to unroot this with flashtool? I don't want to lose any of the current phone settings/data, I was maybe thinking I could just reflash the FW with flashtool, but I wouldn't know if i should be ticking all the boxes or just the kernel one for this.
Anyways, any help/ideas are appreciated.
flash the ftf of the build number you were using at the time and then untick flash user data
Install xposed and next install module BSD mod tools to hide root
Flash stock boot.Img, and unroot it with SuperSU

Bootloader Unlock = No after Restore.

I have a Z5C(E5803) that was originally able to unlock the bootloader and let me flash ROMs, specifically the Cyanogen ROM that CTXz has been working on. I ran out of power and got stuck in some kind of nasty bootloop yesterday that prompted me to re-flash boot.img and TWRP.
After I did these things I left it charging for a few hours and it was able to boot into TWRP where I then restored it to a backup of the basic Xperia pre-loaded ROM.
This all worked fine, thought I could boot into TWRP and just flash the Cyanogen zip again. I can get into TWRP just fine but I attempt to flash Cyanogen I get an "ERROR 7"
I have since done several wipes, gotten into the bootloader settings by entering that code in the dialer and have seen that bootloader unlock = no. I distinctly remember bootloder unlocking being allowed the first time I installed CM on my device, what could have caused this?
I was able to use it with fastboot anyway and install CM13 again, maybe this was a bug?
When I tried using oem unlock command with fastboot it said my device was already rooted even though I had just restored from a backup, and then I just proceeded normally from there.
use CM13 official Recovery to FLASH CM13.
also i don't think so twrp3.0.2 is out there for z5c. are you using any other variants Twrp? (YUGA ? )

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