With the latest 4.4.4 firmware not directly rootable you need to download or create an update package with root and recovery and update your system via recovery. This won't delete your data and root will be there on 4.4.4. I made this complete tutorial so that everyone can make an update from an FTF file. If Chainfire figures out the full root for final Android L than this tutorial will be also good for the Xperia Z2's 5.0 update too (hopefully).
This is for Windows only.
MAKE A BACKUP !!!
1.1 You need obviously an already rooted phone with [NUT]'s Dual Recovery with a previous firmware version (4.4.2)
If you don't have the recovery, you can install it from here:
[Z2][TWRP][PhilZ Touch][CWM] XZDualRecovery Q&A see
post #2 for instructions
1.2 You need Flashtool with working USB drivers.
2. Download the new FTF update file for your phone/branding.
This you can do with Flashtool (Devices/Check Updates menu) or download it from the
[FTF] STOCK FIRMWARES for Xperia Z2/Z2a (D65x3/D6502/SO-03F) thread.
(Alternative option for advanced users:
XperiFirm -> you can create an FTF from the downloaded firmware files with Flashtool.)
3.1 Download PRFCreator v0.5.zip
from [TOOL] PRFCreator - easily create pre-rooted firmwares. (v0.6 is buggy?)
3.2 Download latest stable SuperSU update package from here. (Advanced users can try the the latest BETA SuperSU package from
this thread)
3.3 Until [NUT] fixes the rickiller installer script, download XZDualRecovery's latest patched flashable version from here. You have 4 files so far:
4. Unzip PRFCreator and run it.
5. Load the FTF, SuperSU and XZDualRecovery (flashable!) zip files into the three section.
6. Uncheck all the Include options [ ], we don't need them, we will flash them with Flashtool after the update. I think it's still safer to flash kernel, baseband, boot and other system critical parts of the firmware from Flashtool.
(But if you want to include them anyway then you can skip part 11 and start your phone normally.)
7. Push Create. After it's finished (wait for the Create button to be available again), you'll find a flashable.zip in the folder of PRFCreator.
8. Copy flashable.zip to the internal/external SD card of your phone.
9. Boot your phone into recovery (TWRP recommended).
10. Install flashable.zip in recovery. After finished DO NOT REBOOT !!! Clear Cache/Dalvik only and go back to Home and choose Reboot/Power off.
11. Start Flashtool and with the Flash device icon flash the kernel and other baseband files from the FTF in Flashmode.
Use the following configuration (or similar):
Wipe:
Code:
[ ] APPSLOG
[ ] CACHE
[ ] DATA
Which means nothing is wiped, this is good for a system update only, that reserves your settings, applications and data. (If you want a clean system, you can wipe all the three.)
Exclude:
Code:
[ ] BOOTBUNDLE
[x] PARTITION
[x] TA
[ ] KERNEL
[ ] FOTA
[ ] BASEBAND
[x] SYSTEM
[ ] ELABEL
Which means system, partition and ta options are unchanged and won't be wiped/overwritten. You can exlclude fota, elabel and baseband too, but some phone functions may be limited. Always use your phone's original customization version when choosing FTFs.
Never exclude kernel. It is the main reason we're flashing this.
Code:
[x] No final verification
[ ] Reset customization
Connect the micro USB to your phone and get ready with the other end of the cable in your hand
Push Flash button.
Push the Volume down button and connect the USB cable to the computer's USB port. Wait until Flashtool begins with the flashing and you can release the Volume button now.
When finished, unplug the the phone, start it and wait until it completes the first boot. After it is fully working, check SuperSU and if you can mount system R/W too.
ENJOY another rooted version of Android
I can give support only for this process, for the tools you need to ask your questions in the appropriate threads above.
Thanks to
@zxz0O0 for creating the PRFCreator, it makes things easier in this process (you don't need to mess with linux mounts, virtual machines and other scripts copying system images and recovery updates to a zip).
