A bricked Z1 with an unlocked bootloader

Abu-7abash · Jul 2, 2014

So I got my Z1 yesterday, was on 4.4.2 stock unrooted. I unlocked the bootloader using Sony's official website and fastboot, then I went on destroying the phone by flashing Philz touch recovery.img through fastboot.

And since then the phone has been bricked, I can only enter Fastboot through the blue led, while Flash mode doesn't show up any LED light and my PC sees the phone when on flashmode as n "S1 device with a parameter error".

I've tried all drivers, none worked, and the flashtool keeps suggesting I should update my drivers when connecting the phone on flash mode:

02/042/2014 22:42:11 - INFO - Device connected in flash mode
02/042/2014 22:42:30 - ERROR - Drivers need to be installed for connected device.
02/042/2014 22:42:30 - ERROR - You can find them in the drivers folder of Flashtool.

Is there any way I can recover from this through fastboot instead of the flashtool? I can still flash system.img and recovery.img through fastboot. I'd really appreciate any help right now.

gregbradley · Jul 2, 2014

Abu-7abash said:
So I got my Z1 yesterday, was on 4.4.2 stock unrooted. I unlocked the bootloader using Sony's official website and fastboot, then I went on destroying the phone by flashing Philz touch recovery.img through fastboot.

And since then the phone has been bricked, I can only enter Fastboot through the blue led, while Flash mode doesn't show up any LED light and my PC sees the phone when on flashmode as n "S1 device with a parameter error".

I've tried all drivers, none worked, and the flashtool keeps suggesting I should update my drivers when connecting the phone on flash mode:

Is there any way I can recover from this through fastboot instead of the flashtool? I can still flash system.img and recovery.img through fastboot. I'd really appreciate any help right now.

Xperia phones do not have a recovery partition to flash recovery to via fastboot.

If you can enter fastboot, then flash a stock kernel.elf with flashtool (In fastboot mode).

Then you can use flashtool to relock your boot (I imagine you have not even taken a TA backup and you are new to xperia devices, your post suggests so)

then you should be able to use pccompanion to repair, or flashtool to flash a FTF

However, by flashing a recovery image you may have bricked the phone. try what I have said, if it does not work get back in touch. (Do you have access to jtag and setool?)

Abu-7abash · Jul 2, 2014

gregbradley said:
Xperia phones do not have a recovery partition to flash recovery to via fastboot.

If you can enter fastboot, then flash a stock kernel.elf with flashtool (In fastboot mode).

Then you can use flashtool to relock your boot (I imagine you have not even taken a TA backup and you are new to xperia devices, your post suggests so)

then you should be able to use pccompanion to repair, or flashtool to flash a FTF

However, by flashing a recovery image you may have bricked the phone. try what I have said, if it does not work get back in touch. (Do you have access to jtag and setool?)

Can you link me to the files you suggested I try? There seems to be a truckload of them laying around the forum.

Also, yes, I am new to xperia phones. Didnt think they were this complicated to flash but I shouldnt have played with fastboot anyway. And no, sadly I dont have a jtag. Never needed one before.

Thanks for the help btw, I greatly appreciate this.

Maddhouse · Jul 2, 2014

i dont think you have 100% installed the drivers, on windows 7 upwards you need to disable driver signature to allow any unsigned drivers to be installed

gregbradley · Jul 2, 2014

Look in the mega collection thread in the general section for a 442 ftf file. The kernel.elf will be in it

Sent from my C6903 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Abu-7abash · Jul 2, 2014

gregbradley said:
Look in the mega collection thread in the general section for a 442 ftf file. The kernel.elf will be in it

Sent from my C6903 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Alright, but how do I extract it from the TFT file?

Abu-7abash · Jul 2, 2014

gregbradley said:
Look in the mega collection thread in the general section for a 442 ftf file. The kernel.elf will be in it

Sent from my C6903 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

C6903_14.3.A.0.757_Global 1277-2880.ftf

Is this 4.4.2?

Abu-7abash · Jul 2, 2014

Ok here is an update; after messing with fastboot for so long and a couple of kernel flashes, I managed to boot the phone

But now its stuck on the Sony logo.

A sign of hope though lies with the fact that I managed to enter recovery mode and found CWM hanging there. So now Im probably going to try ADB push a rom file to the SD and try to flash it through recovery instead.
@gregbradley

gregbradley · Jul 3, 2014

Sounds good. The reason forth hang at the sony logo will be that you have wiped the system partition. Flashing a rom based on the kernel you have will enable the phone to boot

Sent from my C6903 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Abu-7abash · Jul 3, 2014

gregbradley said:
Sounds good. The reason forth hang at the sony logo will be that you have wiped the system partition. Flashing a rom based on the kernel you have will enable the phone to boot

Sent from my C6903 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Would flashing a custom rom zip from the CWM recovery, fix the bootloop? Or could it also be a baseband/firmware issue too?

Im not really familiar with Sony's bootloader unlock process, does it allow kernel flash from recovery or only through fastboot ala Htc style?

Vuja1 · Jul 3, 2014

Abu-7abash said:
Would flashing a custom rom zip from the CWM recovery, fix the bootloop? Or could it also be a baseband/firmware issue too?

Im not really familiar with Sony's bootloader unlock process, does it allow kernel flash from recovery or only through fastboot ala Htc style?

first flash original stock rom, than root your phone and install dualrecovery... and if u relock your bootloader unlock it again... don't try custom rom before this steps

gregbradley · Jul 3, 2014

Abu-7abash said:
Would flashing a custom rom zip from the CWM recovery, fix the bootloop? Or could it also be a baseband/firmware issue too?

Yes, as long as the .zip contains a kernel, or id based on the same kernel you have installed now

Im not really familiar with Sony's bootloader unlock process, does it allow kernel flash from recovery or only through fastboot ala Htc style?

Yes, if you have an unlocked bootloader

Abu-7abash · Jul 3, 2014

gregbradley said:
Yes, as long as the .zip contains a kernel, or id based on the same kernel you have installed nowYes, if you have an unlocked bootloader

Alright thanks, gonna give it a go once im home. And yes, I already unlocked the bootloader through Sony's website and fastboot before this happened.

Abu-7abash · Jul 3, 2014

Vuja1 said:
first flash original stock rom, than root your phone and install dualrecovery... and if u relock your bootloader unlock it again... don't try custom rom before this steps

It already has the dual recovery on it but for some reason its stuck in a bootloop.

Vuja1 · Jul 3, 2014

Abu-7abash said:
It already has the dual recovery on it but for some reason its stuck in a bootloop.

do u have any rom on it or u just have bootloop? i u can't access to rom, u need with flashtool to flash stock rom, when u do that u loose your root and lose your dualrecovery... u need to root it again and install dualrecovery

second is
if u can access to rom instal ndr utility and reboot in clockwork mod recovery...

third option si to install via fastboot advanced doomloader kernel which has clockwork mod and has root... after that to flash custom rom but stock version of custom rom

Abu-7abash · Jul 3, 2014

Any of you guys know of a Stock rooted 4.4.4 rom that comes with the stock kernel in a flashable zip? I have looked everywhere for one but I cant find any.
@gregbradley @Vuja1

Vuja1 · Jul 3, 2014

Abu-7abash said:
Any of you guys know of a Stock rooted 4.4.4 rom that comes with the stock kernel in a flashable zip? I have looked everywhere for one but I cant find any.
@gregbradley @Vuja1

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2761614

try this one

Abu-7abash · Jul 3, 2014

Vuja1 said:
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2761614

try this one

Already did, not really what Im looking for. I want the stock rom but only rooted and in a flashable zip, can't believe there aint any around.

gregbradley · Jul 3, 2014

Abu-7abash said:
Already did, not really what Im looking for. I want the stock rom but only rooted and in a flashable zip, can't believe there aint any around.

I can think of at least 3 in the development section off the top of my head...

Abu-7abash · Jul 3, 2014

gregbradley said:
I can think of at least 3 in the development section off the top of my head...

You can? Link me Greg..link me :cowboy:

A bricked Z1 with an unlocked bootloader

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