[Q] Z Ultra GPE back to stock 4.4.2

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ddslee

Senior Member
Aug 18, 2010
75
4
I just bought a ZU GPE with 4.4.3 (rooted, custom recovery installed) that has a broken rear camera (can't focus, can't shoot).
Will going back to 4.4.2 fix the issue?
How can I flash the system dump (ZU4.4.2.zip) from the following thread? Will it brick my phone?

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2570197

I am used to going back to stock with RUU files on my HTC M7 and M8 but this is my first Sony and I am completely lost.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.
 

adfurgerson

Senior Member
Jan 24, 2011
2,179
763
I just bought a ZU GPE with 4.4.3 (rooted, custom recovery installed) that has a broken rear camera (can't focus, can't shoot).
Will going back to 4.4.2 fix the issue?
How can I flash the system dump (ZU4.4.2.zip) from the following thread? Will it brick my phone?

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2570197

I am used to going back to stock with RUU files on my HTC M7 and M8 but this is my first Sony and I am completely lost.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

See this post, and yes rolling back to 4.4.2 should fix rear camera.
http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=53555720&postcount=27
 
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adfurgerson

Senior Member
Jan 24, 2011
2,179
763
Thanks for the reply but that link is for 4.4.3. I just can't seem to find 4.4.2 system, BOOT and FOTAKernal files anywhere.
All I found was a system dump file ZU4.4.2. Where can I find the appropriate files?
Thanks!

Sorry I didn't catch that the post linked to 4.4.3 files. I rolled back to 4.4.2 with a nandroid backup. If you don't find the files you need by tomorrow I will try to see if I would be able to pull them for you.
 
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ddslee

Senior Member
Aug 18, 2010
75
4
Sorry I didn't catch that the post linked to 4.4.3 files. I rolled back to 4.4.2 with a nandroid backup. If you don't find the files you need by tomorrow I will try to see if I would be able to pull them for you.

I have searched all day today with no success. I would really really appreciate it if you could share the file with me.
Thank you!!!!
 

adfurgerson

Senior Member
Jan 24, 2011
2,179
763
Where did you manage to find a nandroid backup of the zu gpe?
Is there an online repository of nandroid backup files somewhere on the internet?

No I had my own that I made as soon as I unlocked boot loader and flashed boot img with recovery.
Edit.. If anyone can answer those questions I linked to, or provide the adb commands needed to pull the system dump I would be grateful.
 
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ddslee

Senior Member
Aug 18, 2010
75
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No I had my own that I made as soon as I unlocked boot loader and flashed boot img with recovery.

Once I get a hold of the nandroid backup file, I can restore from ClockworkMod Recovery and the camera will be instantly fixed?

I used to just use RUU files for my HTC M7 and M8 to go back to stock and never used nandroid before.

Once I fix the camera, do I remove custom recovery and then unroot before patching the 4.4.3 OTA?

Sorry about the noob questions. This is my first Sony device. Thank you for your help!
 

adfurgerson

Senior Member
Jan 24, 2011
2,179
763
Once I get a hold of the nandroid backup file, I can restore from ClockworkMod Recovery and the camera will be instantly fixed?

I used to just use RUU files for my HTC M7 and M8 to go back to stock and never used nandroid before.

Once I fix the camera, do I remove custom recovery and then unroot before patching the 4.4.3 OTA?

Sorry about the noob questions. This is my first Sony device. Thank you for your help!

This is my first Sony since the X10a and I have had it for maybe a month. I have more questions than answers, a nandroid from your own device will fix your own device. Never got answer about restoring to another device, camera only stays fixed on 4.4.2 once you update to 4.4.3 it will break again. Word of warning do not flash any Sony ftf files as the GPe has a different partition layout.
 
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ddslee

Senior Member
Aug 18, 2010
75
4
I would try this method http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2761698
with the 4.4.2 full OTA

Will it work?
Will the OTA zip need editing to remove the version check, and will that work?

@DooMLoRD?

I tried it but the phone wouldn't take it because of the version check. I wish there is a patched version.
Btw, what does the 4.4.3 OTA do that breaks the camera? Is it the unlocked boot loader or the presence of custom recovery at the time of update?
 

ddslee

Senior Member
Aug 18, 2010
75
4
This is my first Sony since the X10a and I have had it for maybe a month. I have more questions than answers, a nandroid from your own device will fix your own device. Never got answer about restoring to another device, camera only stays fixed on 4.4.2 once you update to 4.4.3 it will break again. Word of warning do not flash any Sony ftf files as the GPe has a different partition layout.

Thanks for the warning. Btw, what is a 'system dump' and is it flashable on a GPE device? There is a ZU4.4.2.zip system dump file in one of the threads. I have unzipped the file and it contains 10 image files.

fsg.img
LTALabel.img
modemst1.img
modemst2.img
ramdump.img
rpm.img
s1sbl.img
sbl1.img
system.img
tz.img
 

adfurgerson

Senior Member
Jan 24, 2011
2,179
763
Thanks for the warning. Btw, what is a 'system dump' and is it flashable on a GPE device? There is a ZU4.4.2.zip system dump file in one of the threads. I have unzipped the file and it contains 10 image files.

fsg.img
LTALabel.img
modemst1.img
modemst2.img
ramdump.img
rpm.img
s1sbl.img
sbl1.img
system.img
tz.img

I think those are all the partitions, and no one has determined why some people end up with broken cameras on update. I wouldn't try any ZU stuff only GPe ( some of them like system may not brick your phone but then you have frankenfirmware) anyways I am out for the night and phone is going dead, I'll check back tomorrow.
 

ddslee

Senior Member
Aug 18, 2010
75
4
I think those are all the partitions, and no one has determined why some people end up with broken cameras on update. I wouldn't try any ZU stuff only GPe ( some of them like system may not brick your phone but then you have frankenfirmware) anyways I am out for the night and phone is going dead, I'll check back tomorrow.

Thank you so much! I will wait for your Nandroid backup file. Hope that fixes the camera problem. This phone is a birthday present for my wife. She wouldn't mind being stuck at 4.4.2 forever as long as camera is working. :laugh:
 

adfurgerson

Senior Member
Jan 24, 2011
2,179
763
Thank you so much! I will wait for your Nandroid backup file. Hope that fixes the camera problem. This phone is a birthday present for my wife. She wouldn't mind being stuck at 4.4.2 forever as long as camera is working. :laugh:

Sorry if I wasn't clear I will try to pull 4.4.2 system img. and boot img. So you could fastboot them per DooMLoRD suggestion. I still am not clear if my nandroid would work on your phone or whether it would put my info at risk. But first thing I am going to try just to satisfy my own curiosity is update to 4.4.3 then flash a boot img. with flashtool, flash custom ROM then try to restore to 4.4.2 using stock recovery and adb. If that works it will be a route for everyone that needs it. I suck at communicating my thoughts into a post but will be willing to help make a guide if it works.
 

blueether

Senior Member
Jan 21, 2011
3,391
1,639
Te Awamutu, New Zealand
Easy enough to remove the version check in the 4.4.2 ota, and I'm sure that it would then install with only a error on patching the bootloader.
Maybe you should move this to the gpe section so doomlord might see it sooner

Sent from CarbonROM on my Z-Ultra
 

ddslee

Senior Member
Aug 18, 2010
75
4
Sorry if I wasn't clear I will try to pull 4.4.2 system img. and boot img. So you could fastboot them per DooMLoRD suggestion. I still am not clear if my nandroid would work on your phone or whether it would put my info at risk. But first thing I am going to try just to satisfy my own curiosity is update to 4.4.3 then flash a boot img. with flashtool, flash custom ROM then try to restore to 4.4.2 using stock recovery and adb. If that works it will be a route for everyone that needs it. I suck at communicating my thoughts into a post but will be willing to help make a guide if it works.

Thanks. 4.4.2 system.img and boot,img files would be of great help to me. I really hope that will fix my device,
Thank you so much!!!!
 

blueether

Senior Member
Jan 21, 2011
3,391
1,639
Te Awamutu, New Zealand

Thanks. 4.4.2 system.img and boot,img files would be of great help to me. I really hope that will fix my device,
Thank you so much!!!!

Sorry if I wasn't clear I will try to pull 4.4.2 system img. and boot img. So you could fastboot them per DooMLoRD suggestion. I still am not clear if my nandroid would work on your phone or whether it would put my info at risk. But first thing I am going to try just to satisfy my own curiosity is update to 4.4.3 then flash a boot img. with flashtool, flash custom ROM then try to restore to 4.4.2 using stock recovery and adb. If that works it will be a route for everyone that needs it. I suck at communicating my thoughts into a post but will be willing to help make a guide if it works.

@adfurgerson, another option to help @ddslee might be to flash a Carbon version (maybe pre 4.4.3) then the the 4.4.2 OTA?
 

adfurgerson

Senior Member
Jan 24, 2011
2,179
763
@adfurgerson, another option to help @ddslee might be to flash a Carbon version (maybe pre 4.4.3) then the the 4.4.2 OTA?
@blueether I am at 4.4.2 GPe right now with advanced stock kernel, DooMLoRD posted stock kernel in a flashable zip that we can get boot img from I assume. Now I need to know how to pull the system img and we should be able to get some progress. My idea of trying to go to custom ROM to get back to stock is probably not the best option for someone only needing to downgrade to get camera back.
 

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