[Q] Rooting Questions and Advice

endlesslyonline · Sep 1, 2014

I am a root noob, i rooted my HTC Desire HD a few years ago, but then, it just seemed easier. Now i want to root and install a custom rom on my xperia Z, but it seems all the guides are made for experts? so i google'd and seemed to get hold of a guide, but not sure if its correct or outdated, i obviously dont wanna brick my phone.

So, first question, can someone link me to a valid, easy guide / tutorial, or atleast some reading material on how to root my Z? its the s6603, with Android version 4.4.2.

Secondly when it comes to custom roms, once again, it feels like there is no more guides for dummies like me, i know on my desire, i used to copy the zip over, erase a few things, and then install from zip, and it was flashed, but now i see things like this

Install instructions:
first time
- power off the phone:
- hold vol+ and plug usb to boot into fastboot (blu led)
- fastboot flash boot boot.img (from cm10 zip)
- fastboot reboot
- enter recovery, on boot led will be violet for 3'', during this period press vol+
- flash rom zip
- flash gapps zip
- wipe
- reboot

This makes sense, except for the :
- hold vol+ and plug usb to boot into fastboot (blu led)
- fastboot flash boot boot.img (from cm10 zip)
- fastboot reboot

What is fastboot, googling a bit it seems its a program i should install on Windows?
the boot.img, do i copy that out of the cm10.zip file?
To where, the phones SD Card? to Windows?
fastboot reboot, does this mean reboot the phone from fastboot? or is that the command that should be typed in?

Sorry if i come off as dumb, i am not, im just a noob. And i dont want the info spoonfed to me, i like to do my own research before asking stupid questions, but the info on the internet, is just to much, no 2 articles are talking about the same method, programs, etc

Thanks,

indycar · Sep 2, 2014

To root use towelroot.
To flash firmware use flashtool.

You can find tutorial on flashtool here somewhere.

androidfreak70 · Sep 2, 2014

endlesslyonline said:
I am a root noob, i rooted my HTC Desire HD a few years ago, but then, it just seemed easier. Now i want to root and install a custom rom on my xperia Z, but it seems all the guides are made for experts? so i google'd and seemed to get hold of a guide, but not sure if its correct or outdated, i obviously dont wanna brick my phone.

So, first question, can someone link me to a valid, easy guide / tutorial, or atleast some reading material on how to root my Z? its the s6603, with Android version 4.4.2.

Secondly when it comes to custom roms, once again, it feels like there is no more guides for dummies like me, i know on my desire, i used to copy the zip over, erase a few things, and then install from zip, and it was flashed, but now i see things like this

This makes sense, except for the :
- hold vol+ and plug usb to boot into fastboot (blu led)
- fastboot flash boot boot.img (from cm10 zip)
- fastboot reboot

What is fastboot, googling a bit it seems its a program i should install on Windows?
the boot.img, do i copy that out of the cm10.zip file?
To where, the phones SD Card? to Windows?
fastboot reboot, does this mean reboot the phone from fastboot? or is that the command that should be typed in?

Sorry if i come off as dumb, i am not, im just a noob. And i dont want the info spoonfed to me, i like to do my own research before asking stupid questions, but the info on the internet, is just to much, no 2 articles are talking about the same method, programs, etc

Thanks,

Hi

To root your device first download app called TOWELROOT just install it and open it then click the button then go and install SUPER SU APP FROM HERE
and open it. You will get a popup window saying SuperSU binaries need to be updated. Click ok and then NORMAL wait until it's finish and you rooted your phone now

And the FASTBOOT:
fastboot is a boot mode that the device go into it to modifie some system things without need to permission from the device or rooting. BUT the fastboot flash boot boot.IMG is a command that you type in in the command prompt window (CMD) but you need to unlock the device's bootloader to do that or.. You will get COMMAND DID NOT SUCCESS error in CMD

Fastboot reboot command used to get the device out from fastboot mode. Use it instead of unplugging it

and as I told you fastboot not software or app. That zip file you download is drivers to make the PC recognise the device in the fastboot mode and you need to open the command prompt window in the folder you extract the fastboot drivers or it's can be also called ADB or Android debug bridge and the boot.IMG file you need to extract in from the the ROM you trying to flash and put it in the same folder you extracted fastboot drivers

Tapatalk'ed from my Xperia™ Z (C6602) running Dirty Unicorns ROM!

endlesslyonline · Sep 2, 2014

Sorry, but i am still stuck, i installed the tr.apk, that went fine, then i installed SuperSU, it asked me to update, then it asked a message about Normal or TRWM/CWM(?), i choose normal, but it said failed, and i had to reboot phone, i did this, and superSU was installed, so i tried to fastboot, i got into fastboot, it detected the device, but it said

Sending boot (10132 KB) ...
OKAY
writing 'boot'...
FAILED (remote: command not allowed)
finished

i then rebooted with fastboot, and thought maybe that superSU was not fully installed?

so i went into superSU, and saw there was an option to clean and reinstall, i did that, it asked for the same update again normal or TRWM/CWM, and i chose the second option TRWM/CWM, it said it will reboot phone, and so it did.

I then went to play and downloaded an app to see if i have root, when it opened superSU popped up and asked if i wanted to grant access, i accepted.

but the program came back and said i dont have root?

So where is the poblem, with tr.apk? or supeSU.

Thanks for helping the noobie

St.Jimmy90 · Sep 2, 2014

endlesslyonline said:
Sorry, but i am still stuck, i installed the tr.apk, that went fine, then i installed SuperSU, it asked me to update, then it asked a message about Normal or TRWM/CWM(?), i choose normal, but it said failed, and i had to reboot phone, i did this, and superSU was installed, so i tried to fastboot, i got into fastboot, it detected the device, but it said

Sending boot (10132 KB) ...
OKAY
writing 'boot'...
FAILED (remote: command not allowed)
finished

i then rebooted with fastboot, and thought maybe that superSU was not fully installed?

so i went into superSU, and saw there was an option to clean and reinstall, i did that, it asked for the same update again normal or TRWM/CWM, and i chose the second option TRWM/CWM, it said it will reboot phone, and so it did.

I then went to play and downloaded an app to see if i have root, when it opened superSU popped up and asked if i wanted to grant access, i accepted.

but the program came back and said i dont have root?

So where is the poblem, with tr.apk? or supeSU.

Thanks for helping the noobie

After installing towelroot you have to open it and click on the button. This will root your device. After that you can continue with supersu

androidtweaker1 · Sep 2, 2014

endlesslyonline said:
Sorry, but i am still stuck, i installed the tr.apk, that went fine, then i installed SuperSU, it asked me to update, then it asked a message about Normal or TRWM/CWM(?), i choose normal, but it said failed, and i had to reboot phone, i did this, and superSU was installed, so i tried to fastboot, i got into fastboot, it detected the device, but it said

Sending boot (10132 KB) ...
OKAY
writing 'boot'...
FAILED (remote: command not allowed)
finished

i then rebooted with fastboot, and thought maybe that superSU was not fully installed?

so i went into superSU, and saw there was an option to clean and reinstall, i did that, it asked for the same update again normal or TRWM/CWM, and i chose the second option TRWM/CWM, it said it will reboot phone, and so it did.

I then went to play and downloaded an app to see if i have root, when it opened superSU popped up and asked if i wanted to grant access, i accepted.

but the program came back and said i dont have root?

So where is the poblem, with tr.apk? or supeSU.

Thanks for helping the noobie

To check whether you are rooted or not download root checker app from play store and install.
The app will show your root status.

endlesslyonline · Sep 2, 2014

Thats what I did?

After installing tr.apk, I clicked on the make it ra1n button. And root checker says im not rooted.

Will I mess up if I try the process again?

Should I maybe dona factory reset first? Before trying again

Thanks

androidtweaker1 · Sep 2, 2014

endlesslyonline said:
Thats what I did?

After installing tr.apk, I clicked on the make it ra1n button. And root checker says im not rooted.

Will I mess up if I try the process again?

Should I maybe dona factory reset first? Before trying again

Thanks

Do you have recovery installed?

endlesslyonline · Sep 2, 2014

Excuse my ignorance, but what is recovery?

But i think it would be safe to say, if I dont know what it is , I dont have it installed

androidtweaker1 · Sep 2, 2014

endlesslyonline said:
Excuse my ignorance, but what is recovery?

But i think it would be safe to say, if I dont know what it is , I dont have it installed

Do you have teamviewer installed on your PC?

endlesslyonline · Sep 2, 2014

androidtweaker1 said:
Do you have teamviewer installed on your PC?

I dont, but i am busy downloading it now

I checked again, I took the chance and re-ran tr.apk, and clicked on "make it ra1n" again, i then went RootChecker, and it confirms i have root access.

So, off to superSU again, and it asks again to "The SU binary needs to be updated. Continue?"

I then say yes, and I am confronted with the "If you have a custom recovery like TWRP or CWM, that can be used to (try to) install the SU binary ..."

I obviously dont have a custom recovery installed, and if i understand correctly, the boot.img in the cm10.zip folder, would be the recovery right? If so, i wold then choose normal, because i dont have custom recovery.

If the boot.img is not the custom recovery, what is then? how do i get it?

i tried to fastboot flash boot.img, once again now, after making it rain, but before running superSU, but still gave the error, that it could not write.

What am i doing wrong? am i missing steps here?

St.Jimmy90 · Sep 2, 2014

endlesslyonline said:
I dont, but i am busy downloading it now

I checked again, I took the chance and re-ran tr.apk, and clicked on "make it ra1n" again, i then went RootChecker, and it confirms i have root access.

So, off to superSU again, and it asks again to "The SU binary needs to be updated. Continue?"

I then say yes, and I am confronted with the "If you have a custom recovery like TWRP or CWM, that can be used to (try to) install the SU binary ..."

I obviously dont have a custom recovery installed, and if i understand correctly, the boot.img in the cm10.zip folder, would be the recovery right? If so, i wold then choose normal, because i dont have custom recovery.

If the boot.img is not the custom recovery, what is then? how do i get it?

i tried to fastboot flash boot.img, once again now, after making it rain, but before running superSU, but still gave the error, that it could not write.

What am i doing wrong? am i missing steps here?

That's because you have to unlock your bootloader first. Please use the search function and read about the risks etc of unlocking your bootloader.

endlesslyonline · Sep 2, 2014

St.Jimmy90 said:
That's because you have to unlock your bootloader first. Please use the search function and read about the risks etc of unlocking your bootloader.

Ugh, ok. Will do some research, this is not towards you, or any one in this thread, coz u are doing an awesome job helpimg me, and pointing me in the right direction. But why oh why was bootloader unlocking never even mentioned in the tutorials...

So what are my steps,
Download and run tr.apk
Then install and run supersu
Then unlock bootloader
Fastboot load boot.img
Then flash custom rom,

Or is the order wrong?

St.Jimmy90 · Sep 2, 2014

endlesslyonline said:
Ugh, ok. Will do some research, this is not towards you, or any one in this thread, coz u are doing an awesome job helpimg me, and pointing me in the right direction. But why oh why was bootloader unlocking never even mentioned in the tutorials...

So what are my steps,
Download and run tr.apk
Then install and run supersu
Then unlock bootloader
Fastboot load boot.img
Then flash custom rom,

Or is the order wrong?

You can flash stock based roms without unlocking the bootloader. Aosp based roms need an unlocked bootloader. If a rom needs an unlocked bootloader it is mentioned in the description like this [ub].
To unlock your bootloader root is NOT required.

endlesslyonline · Sep 2, 2014

Is there no all on one guide for the xperia z that includes, root, unlocking, flashing, etc. Im a tad scared to use part of this tutorial, part of that , etc

mario_666 · Sep 2, 2014

Second version towelroot (no need to restart) me also caused problems with the update of binaries, so suggest you First version.

Wysłane z mojego C6603 przy użyciu Tapatalka

endlesslyonline · Sep 2, 2014

OK, SUCCESS !!

Thanks to all that pointed me in the right direction. I ended up doing the following.

Downloading the SDK,
Went to sony's developer site, got the boot unlock code for my IMEI, fastboot, blah blah
flash'ed CM10 boot.img
and then installed CM10 from zip.

I am playing with the phone as i type this, so it worked

Now, one more noobie question, and i will leave you guys alone (for awhile)

If i decide to install CM11, do i just copy the zip over to the SDCard, wipe wipe install? or do i need to fastboot boot flash with the CM11 boot.img?

Same goes for any other rom, just wipe wipe flash, or fastboot everytime?

Thanks again

St.Jimmy90 · Sep 2, 2014

endlesslyonline said:
OK, SUCCESS !!

Thanks to all that pointed me in the right direction. I ended up doing the following.

Downloading the SDK,
Went to sony's developer site, got the boot unlock code for my IMEI, fastboot, blah blah
flash'ed CM10 boot.img
and then installed CM10 from zip.

I am playing with the phone as i type this, so it worked

Now, one more noobie question, and i will leave you guys alone (for awhile)

If i decide to install CM11, do i just copy the zip over to the SDCard, wipe wipe install? or do i need to fastboot boot flash with the CM11 boot.img?

Same goes for any other rom, just wipe wipe flash, or fastboot everytime?

Thanks again

At least that's the safe way. I hope you made a backup of your ta partition before unlocking the bootloader, otherwise your warranty is now void

endlesslyonline · Sep 2, 2014

St.Jimmy90 said:
At least that's the safe way. I hope you made a backup of your ta partition before unlocking the bootloader, otherwise your warranty is now void

Phone is out of warranty in any case, but yea, I did make a backup, or atleast I think I did. In clockworkmod, I went to backup and restore, and selected backup to sd card

androidfreak70 · Sep 3, 2014

endlesslyonline said:
Phone is out of warranty in any case, but yea, I did make a backup, or atleast I think I did. In clockworkmod, I went to backup and restore, and selected backup to sd card

He meant by partition back is backup your TA (trim area) PARTITION OR DRM KEYS TO RELOCK YOUR BOOTLOADER ANYTIME

Tapatalk'ed from my Xperia™ Z (C6602) running Dirty Unicorns ROM!

[Q] Rooting Questions and Advice

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