MM Root and recovery Advanced

Please kindly respect others work and Remember to say THANKS​

NEW as of 16th October 2016​

Background:
After much trial and error I finally found a method that allows us to have a fully functioning MM (6.0) which is rooted and has a working custom recovery.
Be sure to Follow the instructions very carefully. I do not write these tut's so you can skip parts of it or ignore what is being said. If you fail or do not understand a certain step then simply ASK!! All steps are critical for success.
Choose the download (at the bottom of this post) which is for your device ONLY do not flash others!! thinking it will work.
If you do not see your C4/C5 device listed then please upload the MM boot.sin only for your device stating the model and device number (C5 Dual E5xxx)
Please use a quality upload site with no spam like Mega, OneDrive, GoogleDrive, etc etc

First you need to get back to a full clean factory 5.1 this is called "Rolling Back" and to achieve this we will first need to use FashTool
You must of already done an official Sony bootloader unlock before on LP or MM and used the exact same FlashTool with the unlocked bootloader at least once.
To explain FlashTool takes a copy of your Unlock codes and TA by default and saves it then the next time you use FlashTool You simply hit BLU to lock or unlock the bootloader.



Tools:
FlashTool: FlashTool-0-9-19-8-windows.rar
Download Here

flashtool-0.9.19.8-linux.tar.7z
Download Here
Fastboot


1. Using Flashtool lock your bootloader and then flash as much as possible of the old 5.0 firmware.
For those who's devices never had 5.0 then see this post here http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=69201203&postcount=33 which explains that you need to flash the earliest version of 5.1 possible!

2. After this you can use the “Update” function to receive the OTA update which will put you on 5.1
Thanks to @Kenzi BNH for this tip.

2a. If you have followed THIS small tut and used Xperia Companion tool to achieve the same state then that’s also fine. (Note: It has been reported that the latest version of Xperia Companion Tool no longer does incremental updates and will now put you on the Latest Android version for your device but the above way via OTA's still works)

Note: The above methods are the ONLY ways to achieve this. Thinking you can skip or miss the above will lead to a failed root You have been warned!

3. Now using FlashTool Flash only the MM boot.sin, oem.sin, userdata.sin and system.sin which is made for your device.
Do not flash any other parts for now as more testing needs to be done with other partitions.

4. You should now reboot back to system and check all is working as it should.
(Note: I had to manually download/set my carrier's apn as the MM apn.config is in the oem partition which I did not want to flash until I had got root)

5. When you're happy all is working go to your Internal and external Sdcard and rename any “TWRP” folders to oriTWRP

6. Now copy the Exxxx-boot.img and SuperSU in the .zip (files attached below) to the root of your Internal Sdcard.

7. Using only FlashTool UNLOCK your bootloader.
(NOTE: It is very important that you only use FlashTool for this procedure as unlocking the bootloader via Fastboot seems to put a FLAG in one of the partitions (I suspect secro or sec-cfg) thus causing the issues with LockScreen & Security FC's in MM.

8. Now you need to re-flash TWRP recovery via Fastboot “fastboot flash fotakernel fotakernel.img”
The recovery's are in this post http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=64633893&postcount=3 under the heading “DOWNLOADS HERE:”

9. IMPORTANT: After you have flashed the recovery manually reboot to the recovery using the buttons.
“Press and keep held the Volume Down key (-)
Now Press and hold Power Key until you see the Sony Boot Logo then release the Power Key only.” When the recovery boots It will Ask if you want to keep the the system Read Only YOU MUST SAY YES

10. Now from the TWRP menu select install and select “image” find your custom Exxxx-boot.img and flash it to “boot” Then go back to the Reboot menu and select “recovery” Make sure to choose Read Only option again on reboot.

11. Now select install and flash the SuperSU after it has done and hopefully without any errors reboot to system.

12. If everything has worked you are now rooted and can carry on as before. :victory:

13. Rename your "oriTWRP" folders back to “TWRP” note That you can now mount the system read write again by using the swipe button if TWRP asks you.

14. Give THANKS, feedback and any suggestions.

IMPORTANT UPDATE NOTE: Firmware versions dated 2018 need the boot.sin repacking due to changes Sony made so if you are using a 2018 firmware you will need to upload the boot.sin giving full details of the device Model, firmware version and date. Without this info I will do nothing and ignore your requests also use a NO spam upload site like google drive, mega, etc etc
Downloads:
C5-single-E5506-MM.zip https://mega.nz/#!zEByjIyK!KmiG1i72nHD7_vFfwlVjg6__Kw2c4KESLxbKi32E0YY
C4-single-E5303-MM.zip https://mega.nz/#!mJx2zBZS!CNV21CB39HiqERxg5XRej2nHNu4ssX4MO4ovFt1zygg
C4-dual-E5333-MM.zip https://mega.nz/#!TUZUhQRB!zjOr6xK4JkexN8GSyn2tdw-Fbw5Urt0sk23OVDirQr4
C4-dual-E5363-MM.zip https://mega.nz/#!eFx2UBLb!0WkR4uOGuD0opyMTzRBELmKkXCtalTuKKat6G7pgyU4
C5-single-E5553-MM.zip https://mega.nz/#!WAwyFRqa!cF_Q01UlWCAFGRajMYje7Yo3ddzdu08AAi1b9u81w40
C5-dual-E5563-MM.zip https://mega.nz/#!XQoAybTS!xMMHqml7fd0xEo7WoH7ryabixyDAZGeLIiRvXIqb9oY
C5-dual-E5533-MM.zip https://mega.nz/#!qJA2EL5I!NAppeYx61Ev_71RLu7GCtSk8Dx-dxeA8mY6t_uJ0jT8
C4-?-E5353-MM.zip https://mega.nz/#!zIBlwbqC!GZ0jjihinEDgR1hT9jvh3N6l0hdBzcqizoBA9LemkCE
Be sure to check the download name as I have had to update all the links.
Credits/Thanks:
For testing the method.
@Kenzi BNH

WARNING Some people are recommending using a later FlashTool version than what I recommended. So just to be clear I DO NOT RECOMMEND USING ANY OTHER VERSION than the one I have linked above.
The FlashTool Website also says not to use it so you have been warned.

Can't seem to edit my OP

Link Clean up

Thanks but what I had in mind

Does not work as it make's you reformat data after flashing the userdata partition via fastboot it says "un-encrypt failed your password is correct your userdata is corrupt please factory reset" although I have not set any passwords :crying:
SuperSU did the mod to the boot.img so dm verity and forceencrypt should be disabled.
Man Sony screwed this down tight as they seem to have all the angles covered.
I have one more thing to try then that's it for me as I have spent far too much time on this already :silly:

gsser said:

What about this systemless root method?

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

:laugh:
Ok to put it simply since there seems to be a lack of dev's for this device.
1. If you flash MM by FlashTool it will only flash certain areas of the device it does not flash secro preloader lk etc etc.
Which is fine and you can still have a working MM and keep your custom recovery :good:
The downside is that certain things will not work such as anything in Settings/Lock Screen & Security as this just crashes when you try open it.
I am sure as time goes on more things will become apparent so it's not an ideal situation.

2 If you flash MM by Xperia Companion it will flash all areas of the device.
After this your are left with a locked bootloader which will not FULLY unlock again so stops you from booting a custom recovery (Note we have no oem unlock option in the setting menu like the XA has)
The reason I say FULLY is because it allows the booting of a modded boot.img to work unhindered
I am unsure if a prerooted system.img would be allowed to boot or not has I have not tried that yet but it would cause problems with many apps such as banking and pay per view stuff like Sky etc etc so not an ideal solution even if it worked.

Trying to do a systemless root without any real access and no custom recovery is pretty hard trust me I have been trying for a few days now
Access via userdata failed
Access via oem failed

so I have a couple more things to try and then I will give up for now.

Kenzi BNH said:

Hi Nothing news...
Repair with xperia companion put me on MM
After unlocking the bootloader with flashtool.
install the recovery.
But the phone doesn't want boot into the recovery... (Sony Xperia screen)
After 10 sec, the phone reboot into Android. :crying:

---------- Post added at 09:02 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:43 PM ----------

Code:

(bootloader)    version-preloader: 0.1.00
(bootloader)    version: 0.5
(bootloader)    secure: no
(bootloader)    version-baseband: 1292-1559_27.3.B.0.122
(bootloader)    version-bootloader: 1292-1556 S1_Boot_MT6752_TC9SP_208
(bootloader)    serialno: NONEEDTOKNOW
(bootloader)    product: E5333

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

You can get back to 5.1 by following this http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=68922853&postcount=146

sauaditi said:

M nt getting 5.0 firmware for India generic... What can I do? Can I flash different region 5.0 like other than India???? will it work?? PLZ rly

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

I don't see why not
You could just try it and see what happens. :fingers-crossed:
You can always reflash flash your own device .tft but if it does not work or you could always use Xperia Companion Tool to repair the phone firmware.

PS: I cannot guarantee anything and everything you do is at your own risk also to lower any risk make sure you use the flashtool version in the op.

sauaditi said:

Hi bigrammy.. I searched on google..Sony c5 ultra E5563 in India doesn't come with 5.0...it was come with 5.1 lollipop.. Version 29.1.B.0.87, and then got update 5.1 version 29.1.B.0.101
So no 5.0 firmware for E5563
Now NO 5.0 so what can we do? For root on MM need 5.0? Is it compulsory? Can't I flash 5.1 instead of 5.0 and follow root procedure for MM?
PLZ rly

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

Just flash the Version 29.1.B.0.87 then update via OTA which should put you on 5.1 version 29.1.B.0.101 which is fine for the tut. (They do not normally skip any OTA updates so you will get them incrementally)
Just make sure not to accept the 3rd update which would put you on 6.0
Make sure your bootloader is relocked with FlashTool