[Sony Xperia Z Ultra] blueether:
SO, you have brought a GPe from the Google Play store. Here are a few things you need to know:

Warning:

Never flash a Sony FTF file to your GPe, it will hard brick it

Warning:

As there is no root exploit for android 5/LP you may want to root and then backup your TA partition BEFORE completing the OTA

Table of Contents:

Tools

Brief summary of steps

Rooting

Back Up TA partition

Unlocking the Bootloader

Rooting (Old method)

Updating the Firmware

Installing & Restoring

ROMs and Kernels

Flashing Custom ROM

Notes on Recovery

Brief summary of steps:

Gain Root

Install 'su' binary

Back Up TA partition

Unlocking the Bootloader

Flash ROM

Tools:

Flashtool, Fastboot and S1 Drivers:

These can be installed from Flashtool by [MENTION=2807379]Androxyde[/MENTION] https://github.com/Androxyde/Flashtool and http://www.flashtool.net/index.php

or drivers can be downloaded from https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B25BbZxm93S9V2JQVVlrNUNfQTg&usp=sharing thanks to [MENTION=4918952]Forboding Angel[/MENTION]

Root:

Towelroot by geohot

SuperSU by chainfire from the play store

TA:

Trim Area backup​

Rooting:

4.4.4:

As of ~20/6/14 we now have a root exploit method for GPe

Please read this thread before doing these steps http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2783982

- Go to http://towelroot.com/

- Install APK

- Run APK

- Try this for "device not supported." You'll have to tap the welcome to towel root icon 3 times and change the string to:

1337 0 1 0 4 0

or

1337 0 1 0 5 0

or

1337 0 1 0 6 0

- Click "make it ra1n"

- Wait and Hope

- Done

You will then have to install SU (SuperSU by chainfire from the play store works well)
​

5.x:

Locked Bootloader:

At release the is no way to root Lollipop via exploit.

If you want to keep a locked bootloader and need root then stay on 4.4.4

Unlocked Bootloader:

DIY:

Reboot into a custom kernel/recovery (fastboot boot <DooMLoRD's_V2_kernel.img>

hold vol up while connecting the powered off GPe to a PC

Apply update from ADB

adb sideload <path_to_superSU-update.zip>

[/STRIKE]

DooMLoRD Way: (untested by me)

Download DooMLoRD's pre-rooted system and boot .img (http://xdaforums.com/xperia-z-ultra/xperia-z-ultra-gpe/lollipop-5-0-boot-fotakernel-images-t2960269)and flash with

fastboot flash <partition> <partition_image.img>

​

Back Up TA partition:

The TA partition holds all your unique DRM keys, and X-Reality won't work without it.

Once you lose it, you can't get it back, so back it up and upload it to your Dropbox or something. So how do you backup your TA partition?

• Download this tiny tool on your computer and run it.

Store the TA backup some where safe so you can restore it latter if needed.

Once you have unlocked the BL do another backup of the TA and name it ****-UnLocked.***. This will be handy if you ever need to re-unlock the BL (no wipe of Data)
​

Unlocking the Bootloader:

This may void you warranty and delete DRM keys Make sure you have backed up your TA partition

To unlock the bootloader of your GPe ZU you can use the same method as for the Sony ZU. Please visit the Sony Developer site and follow the instructions on there to get an unlock code, then use Flashtool to do the unlocking (padlock icon), follow on screen instructions. My last unlock code was never emailed out but it is in the code near the bottom of the Sony confirmation page.

Sony site: http://unlockbootloader.sonymobile.com/instructions

Flashtool: http://www.flashtool.net/index.php​

Rooting (Old method & Unlocked BootLoaders):

Warning I don't have a GPe so I haven't tested this myself. Use at your own risk

Once your bootloader is unlocked you can root it.

To root your GPe ZU you will need to flash DooMLorD's GPe Kernel. Flash this kernel and recovery with Flashtool in fastboot mode. Once you have recovery you can flash SuperSU

Download SuperSU to the GPe

Download GPe Kernel to your PC

Turn off the GPe

Fire up Flashtool

Select the lightning bolt and the fastboot mode

At this stage you can either either:

Select "Select kernel to hotboot" to load the kernel but not overwrite the GPe one

or

Select "Select kernel to flash" to flash the kernel and overwrite the GPe one

Select the saved Kernel and flash

Check for OK in the main window

Reboot to recovery

Select install zip

Flash SuperSU

Reboot to system

DooMKernel: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?p=53080496

SuperSU: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1538053​

Updating the Firmware:

4.4.2 update zip http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2574264

4.4.3 update zip ( incremental OTA) http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2773168

4.4.4 update zip ( incremental OTA) http://android.clients.google.com/p...ricsson-E-Application-Signing-Live-864f-1.zip

5.0 update zip ( incremental OTA) http://android.clients.google.com/p...http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2761698 Thanks [MENTION=2784807]DooMLoRD[/MENTION]

Update to 4.4.3 http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?p=53181565 Thanks [MENTION=2784807]DooMLoRD[/MENTION]

Flashable zip of 4.4.2 http://d-h.st/KMe Thanks [MENTION=252661]egzthunder1[/MENTION]​

ROMs and Kernels:

DoomKernel http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?p=53083592 only for Stock GPe based ROM

Unofficial Pimped Kernel, see GPe Carbon thread. Should work on the ROMs below

ZU_GPe-DooMLoRD-Stock_KOT49H_kernel http://doomlord.xperia-files.com/?dlid=WlVfR1BlLURvb01Mb1JELVN0b2NrX0tPVDQ5SF9rZXJuZWw= Only for GPe ROM

Advanced Stock Kernel (Dual Recovery) http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2579005 Only for GPe ROM
​

Carbon ROM http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2680026

CandyROM http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2798140 thanks to [MENTION=4815490]tr1gg3r84[/MENTION]

Beanstalk http://xdaforums.com/xperia-z-ultra/xperia-z-ultra-gpe/rom-beanstalk-togarigpe-t2831494

LiquidSmooth http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2655892

SlimKat http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2712065

CM11 See their website​

Flashing Custom ROM:

If you have flashed DooMLorD's kernel in the above rooting step Yo will get a error something like "this if for togari/c6806 you have a honami". If you get this error:

Open up the ROM zip you want to flash and extract the boot.img file.

Flash this file just like you did in the rooting above with flashtool.

Boot into the new recovery

Flash ROM as normal

Reboot into sysyem

Notes on Recovery:

On the xperia (and other sony?) phones we have to bake recovery into the boot.img, the GPe is different in that it has a full stock recovery that the ZU doesn't. The boot.img from ROMs for the GPe still have recovery baked in to the boot image, so flashing a boot.img will give you a custom recovery. In the case of CM and Carbon that is CWM and I think Omni uses TWRP. This custom recovery doesn't overwrite the stock one.
​

Warning:

Never flash a Sony FTF file to your GPe, it will hard brick it

XDA:DevDB Information

[Guide] Your New GPe, ROM for the Sony Xperia Z Ultra

Contributors

blueether

ROM OS Version: 4.4.x KitKat

Version Information

Status: Stable

Created 2014-12-05

Last Updated 2014-12-12