Z1C: First Custom-ROM

[Skylac06]

Hello,

my Sony Xperia Z1 Compact has the standard Android 5.1 version of Sony. Now I want to upgrade to a new Android version.
I need it for everyday-use and it should be relatively stable. The camera is not that important, but it should work. I use especially the browser, so the mobile datas should also work. Otherwise it should be only be stable and the battery should not discharge too fast. Is there any good build for me?
That one looks very interesting: AICP 7.1 ROM amami (I can't link the URL, because I am a new user )
Is it okay for a Custom-ROM beginner? I think I will find some instructions and tutorials how to install it. I just have to know if it is a good choice.

If there are any English mistakes, please correct me. I have to improve my English.

Thank you!

 

[levone1]

Hello,

my Sony Xperia Z1 Compact has the standard Android 5.1 version of Sony. Now I want to upgrade to a new Android version.
I need it for everyday-use and it should be relatively stable. The camera is not that important, but it should work. I use especially the browser, so the mobile datas should also work. Otherwise it should be only be stable and the battery should not discharge too fast. Is there any good build for me?
That one looks very interesting: AICP 7.1 ROM amami (I can't link the URL, because I am a new user )
Is it okay for a Custom-ROM beginner? I think I will find some instructions and tutorials how to install it. I just have to know if it is a good choice.

If there are any English mistakes, please correct me. I have to improve my English.

Thank you!

Anything over LP 5.1 has an unusable camera, with one possible exception: DU Marshmallow rom with custom kernel. Read op of this thread - https://forum.xda-developers.com/sony-xperia-z1-compact/general/z1c-marshmallow-roms-t3372565 Note the addenda at the bottom.

 

[Skylac06]

Anything over LP 5.1 has an unusable camera, with one possible exception: DU Marshmallow rom with custom kernel. Read op of this thread - https://forum.xda-developers.com/sony-xperia-z1-compact/general/z1c-marshmallow-roms-t3372565 Note the addenda at the bottom.

Thank you for your fast answer.
Is the camera completely unusable or just "not good"? I do not need the best quality, but it should at least work and you should be able to identify what the picture shows.
However, thank you for the link. I think I will try it. Android 6 is, I hope so, an improvement. Maybe I will then upgrade to Nougat.

There are no other options like Ubuntu Touch or Sailfish, right?

 

[levone1]

Thank you for your fast answer.
Is the camera completely unusable or just "not good"? I do not need the best quality, but it should at least work and you should be able to identify what the picture shows.
However, thank you for the link. I think I will try it. Android 6 is, I hope so, an improvement. Maybe I will then upgrade to Nougat.

There are no other options like Ubuntu Touch or Sailfish, right?

Put a piece of tape over your camera lens, and turn off the lights, and shake the phone back and forth while taking a picture... That's what most of the photos will look like.

No Sailfish, and @munjeni has built Ubuntu touch for Z1c, but I couldn't get the Internet to work, (except for Ubuntu store, which downloads apps fine). - https://mega.nz/#!YEpCHLoS!tRxZpJHUSKL_cZz9wisGZvWl7igYAlYJRjwbcT_s868 Besides that, fxp has built Firefox OS, but probably hard to find at this point, and there are a few MIUI builds out there that are very good. Check here - https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=71329395&postcount=5 and here - https://forum.xda-developers.com/so...lopment/23-2015-miui-v6-5-5-22-d5503-t3116494

 

[Skylac06]

Hello again,

I decided to try out some Custom-ROMs.
Now I find many different ways how to root my phone and unlock the bootloader. Which way do you here recommend?
And how difficult is going back to the stock ROM and lock the bootloader againg, if nothing works?

Thank you!

 

[levone1]

Hello again,

I decided to try out some Custom-ROMs.
Now I find many different ways how to root my phone and unlock the bootloader. Which way do you here recommend?
And how difficult is going back to the stock ROM and lock the bootloader againg, if nothing works?

Thank you!

Backup TA - https://forum.xda-developers.com/crossdevice-dev/sony/universal-dirtycow-based-ta-backup-t3514236

Unlock bl - https://developer.sonymobile.com/unlockbootloader/unlock-yourboot-loader

Root and recovery :
Download custom kernel to pc, and extract boot img to ADB directory - https://forum.xda-developers.com/so...rnel-advanced-14-5-0-242-kernel-v1-0-t3096060 and download twrp img to ADB directory - https://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=457095661767147235 then use fastboot commands to flash boot and recovery. Now you have recovery, and you can either flash SuperSU zip, or flash custom rom.

Restore TA - https://forum.xda-developers.com/crossdevice-dev/sony/poc-real-trim-instead-drm-fix-t3552893 or use Flashtool relock bl option - http://www.flashtool.net/

 

[Skylac06]

Backup TA - https://forum.xda-developers.com/crossdevice-dev/sony/universal-dirtycow-based-ta-backup-t3514236

Unlock bl - https://developer.sonymobile.com/unlockbootloader/unlock-yourboot-loader

Root and recovery :
Download custom kernel to pc, and extract boot img to ADB directory - https://forum.xda-developers.com/so...rnel-advanced-14-5-0-242-kernel-v1-0-t3096060 and download twrp img to ADB directory - https://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=457095661767147235 then use fastboot commands to flash boot and recovery. Now you have recovery, and you can either flash SuperSU zip, or flash custom rom.

Restore TA - https://forum.xda-developers.com/crossdevice-dev/sony/poc-real-trim-instead-drm-fix-t3552893 or use Flashtool relock bl option - http://www.flashtool.net/

One little question: if I unlock my bootloader, my complete internal storage is wiped, right?
But if my bootloader is locked, I can not use the nandroid-backup-function of TWRP, because I can not use the custom kernel to root my phone. (Am I right? )

Currently I only have done your first step - backup the TA.

And of course, thank you again. :fingers-crossed:

 

[levone1]

One little question: if I unlock my bootloader, my complete internal storage is wiped, right?
But if my bootloader is locked, I can not use the nandroid-backup-function of TWRP, because I can not use the custom kernel to root my phone. (Am I right? )

Currently I only have done your first step - backup the TA.

And of course, thank you again. :fingers-crossed:

You can root with locked bl, but your options are: 1) use Kingroot, (and it's generally preferred to not keep Kingroot, so after rooting you can replace Kingroot with SuperSU or wipe everything and flash a new rom with SuperSU), or 2) downgrade to KK and use doomlord rootkit, then flash LP prf.

 

[Skylac06]

You can root with locked bl, but your options are: 1) use Kingroot, (and it's generally preferred to not keep Kingroot, so after rooting you can replace Kingroot with SuperSU or wipe everything and flash a new rom with SuperSU), or 2) downgrade to KK and use doomlord rootkit, then flash LP prf.

Okay.
I would like to avoid using Kingroot and downgrade to 4.4 is not even better.
But I found the Sony-Flashtool "Emma" for Windows. It seems to be able to restore completely the Stock-5.1-ROM. So I think I don't need a whole nandroid-backup. Am I right?
So I will unlock my bootloader, flash the custom kernel using TWRP-Tool and have a rooted phone. Then I am able to flash any custom-ROM I want to try out.
Did I misunderstand anything?

 

[levone1]

Okay.
I would like to avoid using Kingroot and downgrade to 4.4 is not even better.
But I found the Sony-Flashtool "Emma" for Windows. It seems to be able to restore completely the Stock-5.1-ROM. So I think I don't need a whole nandroid-backup. Am I right?
So I will unlock my bootloader, flash the custom kernel using TWRP-Tool and have a rooted phone. Then I am able to flash any custom-ROM I want to try out.
Did I misunderstand anything?

True, Emma will restore you to stock. The backup would be if you want to restore the particular state of your phone right now.
Unlock bl, then flash the boot and recovery imgs, and you will be able to get into recovery. You'll want to have whatever rom you want to flash already downloaded on sdcard.

 

[Skylac06]

It works.
Now I have the AICP 12.1 7.1.2 Nightly Version.
Only the camera is not good, but better than expected. The aroma-GApps-package does not work, the GUI is hidden under the GUI of TWRP, but you can select your choice. However, after clicking install nothing was installed. After I downloaded and installed the super-GApps-package everything works fine.
If I find some issues, where can I report them? In the officiall AICP-12.1 N 7.1 amami Thread?

And at least a great thank you to levone1. :fingers-crossed:

 

[levone1]

It works.
Now I have the AICP 12.1 7.1.2 Nightly Version.
Only the camera is not good, but better than expected. The aroma-GApps-package does not work, the GUI is hidden under the GUI of TWRP, but you can select your choice. However, after clicking install nothing was installed. After I downloaded and installed the super-GApps-package everything works fine.
If I find some issues, where can I report them? In the officiall AICP-12.1 N 7.1 amami Thread?

And at least a great thank you to levone1. :fingers-crossed:

https://forum.xda-developers.com/so...lopment/rom-aicp-11-0-mm-6-0-1-amami-t3428288

 

[Skylac06]

https://forum.xda-developers.com/so...lopment/rom-aicp-11-0-mm-6-0-1-amami-t3428288

That is the thread I meant, but I can not post any URLs.

 

[hupchup]

Best Custom ROM for Z1C

Not to open a new thread, which Custom ROM would you guys recommend to install on my Z1C?

I'm having some issues atm. It keeps restarting; I did a factory reset, it worked well for a while, now the issue is back. However, it does seem to work fine when hooked up to my PC (with the PC Companion active). Before I start shopping for a new phone, I'd like to root it first.

For this purpose, I'd like to know whick custom ROM is the most stable that you would recommend I install. Also, I'd be very helpful if you could direct to a good guide about the entire process.

Thank you in advance, I appreciate it!

 

[prustr]

Backup TA - https://forum.xda-developers.com/crossdevice-dev/sony/universal-dirtycow-based-ta-backup-t3514236

Unlock bl - https://developer.sonymobile.com/unlockbootloader/unlock-yourboot-loader

Root and recovery :
Download custom kernel to pc, and extract boot img to ADB directory - https://forum.xda-developers.com/so...rnel-advanced-14-5-0-242-kernel-v1-0-t3096060 and download twrp img to ADB directory - https://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=457095661767147235 then use fastboot commands to flash boot and recovery. Now you have recovery, and you can either flash SuperSU zip, or flash custom rom.

Restore TA - https://forum.xda-developers.com/crossdevice-dev/sony/poc-real-trim-instead-drm-fix-t3552893 or use Flashtool relock bl option - http://www.flashtool.net/

OP's intention is different than mine but this approach looks suit me well. I would like to keep my stock (14.6.A.1.236), so can I flash kernel.sin from Stock Rom via Flashtool after restoring TA and keep root status and recovery or should I use the custom kernel henceforth?

 

[levone1]

OP's intention is different than mine but this approach looks suit me well. I would like to keep my stock (14.6.A.1.236), so can I flash kernel.sin from Stock Rom via Flashtool after restoring TA and keep root status and recovery or should I use the custom kernel henceforth?

I don't think I've ever done it that way, but I don't see why not. As long as you don't wipe your recovery, you should still be good... (if you'd rather use stock kernel for whatever reason).

 

[prustr]

I don't think I've ever done it that way, but I don't see why not. As long as you don't wipe your recovery, you should still be good... (if you'd rather use stock kernel for whatever reason).

Thanks for the answer. Actually the whole story is, the phone belongs to my wife and she is neither techsavvy nor has patience with electronics, especially when any problem come up. I would like to remove bloatwares and have backup yet keep the phone as Stock as possible. I'm trying to keep my ROM related modifications at minimum. That's been said, I would welcome any correction on this manner as I feel you found returning the stock kernel is pointless.

 

[levone1]

Thanks for the answer. Actually the whole story is, the phone belongs to my wife and she is neither techsavvy nor has patience with electronics, especially when any problem come up. I would like to remove bloatwares and have backup yet keep the phone as Stock as possible. I'm trying to keep my ROM related modifications at minimum. That's been said, I would welcome any correction on this manner as I feel you found returning the stock kernel is pointless.

I wouldn't say pointless, but for the most part, any custom kernel is an improvement. Most of the customizations wouldn't mean anything to someone like that, but I doubt there's any harm or risk in keeping it.