[Sony Xperia P, U, Sola, Go] marjohn56:
I think I'll try and help some more here, as sometimes the devs assume everyone is as sharp as they are!

This is the idiots guide, forgive me if I'm stating the obvious!

Ok, make sure you have the latest version of Flashtool installed, 0.8.6.0 is the latest I believe.

Download and copy the 6.1.a.0.452 ftf file to the firmwares folder of wherever you installed flashtool, mine is c:/Flashtool/firmwares.

Now, switch off the phone... Wait 20 seconds or so.

Whilst pressing the volume down button, connect the usb.

You should, if your drivers are installed correctly see device connected in flash mode appear in the window. The phones LED will be green.

Click the lightining flash button.

Select Flash Mode.

You will see the file listed in the 'select a firmware' window; select it.

If you do not wish to wipe data, then unselect the wipe data checkbox, I suggest you do wipe, click OK.

Flashtool now preps itself and some seconds later flashing should commence.

I've been re-faslhing mine as I write this, so I know it works. ;)

Now, rooting... You will need an unlocked bootloader, assuming you have, if you have not, then check out the link:

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1527159

You may or may not be able to unlock the bootloader, depends who the provider/supplier was. Mine was from phones4u and was a generic unbranded unit.

Once, you have unlocked the bootloader then you can procede to rooting the phone.

I am assuming here that you have downloaded the following files:

CWM-SuperSU-v0.92.zip

kernel.rar

recovery-nozomi.img

You will also have installed Fastboot, and added it to your windows paths.

First things first, browse your Xperia from Filebrowser, and copy the file "CWM-SuperSU-v0.92.zip" to the root folder.

In Windows, browse to the folder containing the .img file and the extracted kernel.sin file. Launch a command prompt from that folder, do this by holding the shft key down when you right mouse and select 'open command window here'.

Now, if you have done your paths correctly etc, type fastboot, and you will get a list of the command options, this is just to prove your paths!

Type 'fastboot flash boot recovery-nozami.img'

You will get waiting for device...

Phone off, wait 20 seconds or so...

holding volume UP key, connect usb, device will flash.

Now, unplug the usb and power up the phone, you will see a menu, using the vol keys, up and down, 'select install zip from sdcard' using the camera button to select.

then select 'choose zip file from SD card'

You should see the 'CWM-SuperSU-v0.92.zip' we copied earlier at the bottom of the list, select it.

It should now have a little list with no's and a yes, so up/dpwn to the yes with the option to install and select.

That should install correctly, mine just has, and we are almost there.

In little menu at the top, select 'go back' and you will see an option to 'reboot system', do not select it yet!

Go back to your windows prompt, and type

Type 'fastboot flash boot kernel.sin'

Now back to the phone, and insert the usb cable... press the camera button and immediately press volume up, LED will turn blue. Now, this is where it may just be my PC, but what I need to do now, is hit return on the pc and it says Waiting for device, I quickly unplug the usb, and plug it back in, and it flashes the kernel.sin file.

The trick is in the 'reboot system' and getting the vol up timing right to enter the fastboot mode.

That's the way I've done it, and it all works perfectly. Hope it helps you.