[Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini, Mini Pro, Xperia Pro, A] mihahn:
This is a tutorial on how to root 2011er xperia devices. This method is for locked bootloader with stock sony kernel.

I know there are several threads on this topic, but many people asked me so - here we go:

Rooting your device will void your warranty! Your are doing all the following steps on your own risk!

:)

First look here:

1. Your firmware is 4.0.2.A.0.42 or 4.0.2.A.0.58

2. Your firmware is 4.0.2.A.0.62 or 4.0.2.A.0.69

3. Your firmware is 4.1.B.0.431

4. Your firmware is 4.1.B.0.587

5. Unlocked Bootloader

6. The new ultimative rooting script for all firmware versions

7. Other methods (stable and experimental)

1. For 4.0.2.A.0.42 or 4.0.2.A.0.58 firmware:

a) Flashtool method

This is a very easy method to root your phone. For this method you download flashtool from here and install it.

When it is installed, you launch it.

On your phone you go to Settings -> Applications -> and enable unknown sources.

After that, you go to Settings -> Applications -> Development -> and enable usb debugging.

Finally you go to Settings ->Sony Ericsson ->Connectivity ->USB connection mode ->MSC

Now you connect your device to the pc and flashtool will automatically recognize it.

Now if your device is connected and recognized, we can begin with the rooting process:

For that we click on the open padlock here:

Now it will root your device automatically

Here's the log:

19/057/2012 22:57:08 - INFO - drivers folder is the drivers installer
19/057/2012 22:57:08 - INFO - <- This level is successfully initialized
19/057/2012 22:57:08 - INFO - Flashtool Version 0.7.1.0 built on 2012-05-01 22:07:23
19/057/2012 22:57:08 - INFO - You can drag and drop ftf files here to start flashing them
19/057/2012 22:57:13 - INFO - Device connected with USB debugging on
19/057/2012 22:57:14 - INFO - Connected device : SK17
19/057/2012 22:57:14 - INFO - Installed version of busybox : N/A
19/057/2012 22:57:14 - INFO - Android version : 2.3.4 / kernel version : 2.6.32.9-perf
19/058/2012 22:58:16 - INFO - Pushing C:\Program Files (x86)\Flashtool\.\devices\SK17\busybox\1.19.0\busy box to /data/local/tmp/busybox
19/058/2012 22:58:17 - INFO - Pushing C:\Program Files (x86)\Flashtool\.\custom\root\zergrush.tar.uue to /data/local/tmp
19/058/2012 22:58:17 - INFO - Running part1 of Root Exploit, please wait
19/058/2012 22:58:42 - INFO - Waiting for device
19/058/2012 22:58:42 - INFO - Device disconnected
19/058/2012 22:58:44 - INFO - Device connected with USB debugging on
19/058/2012 22:58:45 - INFO - Running part2 of Root Exploit
19/058/2012 22:58:45 - INFO - Running rootit2
19/058/2012 22:58:49 - INFO - Finished!.
19/058/2012 22:58:49 - INFO - Root should be available after reboot!
19/058/2012 22:58:50 - INFO - Device disconnected
19/058/2012 22:58:56 - INFO - Log written to C:\Program Files (x86)\Flashtool\flashtool_2012-08-19_10-57-08.log
19/059/2012 22:59:10 - INFO - Device connected with USB debugging on
19/059/2012 22:59:10 - INFO - Connected device : SK17
19/059/2012 22:59:10 - INFO - Installed version of busybox : BusyBox v1.19.0 (2011-08-14 23:46:58 CDT) multi-call binary.
19/059/2012 22:59:10 - INFO - Android version : 2.3.4 / kernel version : 2.6.32.9-perf
19/059/2012 22:59:32 - INFO - Remounting system read-write
19/059/2012 22:59:34 - INFO - Installing toolbox to device...
19/059/2012 22:59:34 - INFO - Pushing C:\Program Files (x86)\Flashtool\custom\root\ftkit.tar to /data/local/tmp
19/059/2012 22:59:35 - INFO - Running installftkit as root thru sysrun
19/059/2012 22:59:35 - INFO - Root Access Allowed

Gratulation! You have a rooted xperia 2011 device now!

b) DooMLoRD's Toolkit

This is a very easy method for rooting, too. You just go to this thread by DooMLoRD and click thanks for his great toolkit!

Then you download the toolkit and when it has finished downloading you unpack the zip and open the folder!

Before we can start we must go on the device and do the following steps:

First you go on your phone and go to Settings -> Applications -> and enable unknown sources.

After that, you go to Settings -> Applications -> Development -> and enable usb debugging.

Finally you go to Settings ->Sony Ericsson ->Connectivity ->USB connection mode ->MSC

Now you run the toolkit by clicking the runme.bat

The toolkit will start in a cmd window

Now you only have to hit any key and the rooting toolkit will automatically root the device.

Gratulation! You have a rooted xperia 2011 device now!

2. For 4.0.2.A.0.62 or 4.0.2.A.0.69

To root these two firmware versions, you'll first have to downgrade your phone to 4.0.2.A.0.42 or 4.0.2.A.0.58.

Remember: Flashing firmware may void your warranty!

Your data will be lost throug this step, so if you want to, save it using for example Android Assistant, which can backup the .apk (but the data will be lost), or you use adb backup. Remember to save your contacts and sms, too!

MAKE SURE PC COMPANION OR SONY UPDATE SERVICE ISN'T RUNNING IN BACKGROUND WHILE YOU ARE FLASHING!!! DON'T USE THIS METHOD IF YOUR BOOTLOADER IS UNLOCKED, OTHERWISE YOUR DEVICE WILL BRICK!! (Unlocked bootloaders can't do updates over the air, but flashing won't destroy your phone on unlocked bootloader!)

First you have to flash the 4.0.2.A.0.42. To do so you download and install flashtool from here.

You can download the firmware from this thread by benji.berg or here by someguyfromhell.

Thanks for sharing the firmware with us!

Download the 4.0.2.A.0.42 for your device!

After the installation of Flashtool you open the windows explorer and go to the downloaded file. If it is a 7z or zip archive you unpack it to get a .ftf file.

Now you open the flashtool installation folder. There you go to the drivers folder and install the drivers.

In the flashtool -> drivers folder is the drivers installer

Now we go to the downloaded .ftf file and copy it to the firmware folder of Flashtool

Programs -> Flashtool -> Firmwares:

Next we launch flashtool

Now, to flash a new firmware, we click on the flash

In the Mode Selector you choose Flashmode and click ok

In the next step you choose the firmware and you mark wipe data and wipe cache. Just mark it like you see it in the picture. If you are sure all is marked right, you click ok

Now you have to turn off your device. Make sure the battery is more than 75%. You press and hold the volume down key and while pressing volume down you connect your device to pc. The green led will light up and Flashtool will automatically flash the new firmware.

DON'T DISCONNECT THE DEVICE FROM YOUR PC DURING THE FLASHING PROCESS!!

Here's the flashing log:

20/019/2012 11:19:39 - INFO -
20/019/2012 11:19:39 - INFO - <- This level is successfully initialized
20/019/2012 11:19:39 - INFO - Flashtool Version 0.7.1.0 built on 2012-05-01 22:07:23
20/019/2012 11:19:39 - INFO - You can drag and drop ftf files here to start flashing them
20/019/2012 11:19:44 - INFO - Device disconnected
20/019/2012 11:19:49 - INFO - Selected Xperia MiniPro (SK17i)_4.0.2.A.0.42_HU.ftf
20/019/2012 11:19:49 - INFO - Preparing files for flashing
20/019/2012 11:19:50 - INFO - Please connect your device into flashmode.
20/019/2012 11:19:55 - INFO - Device connected in flash mode
20/019/2012 11:19:55 - INFO - Opening device for R/W
20/019/2012 11:19:55 - INFO - Reading device information
20/019/2012 11:19:55 - INFO - Phone ready for flashmode operations.
20/019/2012 11:19:55 - INFO - Start Flashing
20/019/2012 11:19:55 - INFO - Flashing loader
20/019/2012 11:19:58 - INFO - Loader : S1_Loader_Root_773f - Version : R4A066 / Bootloader status : ROOTED / IMEI : xxx
20/019/2012 11:19:58 - INFO - Flashing kernel.sin
20/020/2012 11:20:01 - INFO - Flashing fota0.sin
20/020/2012 11:20:01 - INFO - Flashing fota1.sin
20/020/2012 11:20:01 - INFO - Flashing adsp.sin
20/020/2012 11:20:04 - INFO - Flashing amss_fs.sin
20/020/2012 11:20:04 - INFO - Flashing apps_log.sin
20/020/2012 11:20:04 - INFO - Flashing amss.sin
20/020/2012 11:20:14 - INFO - Flashing system.sin
20/022/2012 11:22:17 - INFO - Flashing userdata.sin
20/022/2012 11:22:19 - INFO - Flashing cache.sin
20/022/2012 11:22:20 - INFO - Ending flash session
20/022/2012 11:22:20 - INFO - Flashing finished.
20/022/2012 11:22:20 - INFO - Please wait. Phone will reboot
20/022/2012 11:22:20 - INFO - For flashtool, Unknown Sources and Debugging must be checked in phone settings

Check your log first before you restart the phone. If there are no errors, go on.

You have to restart your phone then. When it has started go through the setup assistant.

You are on 4.0.2.A.0.42 or 4.0.2.A.0.58 firmware now, so you go to

1. For 4.0.2.A.0.42 or 4.0.2.A.0.58 firmware

and root your device like it is explained there. :)

When your device is rooted, you connect your xperia via wifi to the internet. Now you start the update center (on your phone) and search for updates. It will find the update to 4.0.2.A.0.62 which you install over the air (ota=via wlan, not connect to pc) then.

Now you click on download and install it.

After a reboot you have a rooted 4.0.2.A.0.62 firmware! :)

The rooting methods/toolkits/firmwares/etc were NOT my work, I've just collected different tutorials on rooting the xperia devices like xperia mini/mini pro/active/ray/lww/etc in one big rooting guide!