[Sony Xperia Z Ultra] blueether:
GETTING YOUR ULTRA ROOTED AND

READY FOR FLASHING​

This guide should in theory make your Ultra ready for flashing custom ROMs, and with that said...

...here comes the warning: If you follow the steps contained herein

Your warranty is now voided

. I/we are not responsible for bricked devices, or whatever you might end up with. ​

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Warnings

ROOT KitKat (Android 4.4.4)

Back up TA Partition

Install Recovery

Unlock the Bootloader

Install Custom ROM

Using Flashtool

Back to Stock

Handy Links

Glossary

Misc.
​

Warnings:​

Backup your TA partition before unlocking your bootloader - you will lose DRM keys and other stuff during the unlock

Unlocking the Bootloader will wipe your phone, so backup your stuff

Never Flash a FTF to a ZU GPe - it will kill it

Your warranty is now VOID

ROOT KitKat (Android 4.4.4):​

Rooting 4.4.4

FTFs

14.4.A.0.108

14.4.A.0.118

To root KitKat we have a handy tool called Easy Root by @zxz0O0. This tool will root all modern Xperia devices running KitKat. Please read the thread.

To use this tool first upgrade to one of the above FTFs or use Sony's PC companion to update the phone to Android 4.4.4

Instructions:

What you get

Root

Access to /system rw

Requirements

USB debugging enabled

Settings => About phone => Click 7 times on Android Build to unlock developer options

Unknown sources enabled

Settings => Security

adb drivers installed

How to use

Download the latest version and extract it

Start your device and plug it to your computer

Run install.bat and follow the instructions on screen

Install SuperSU by Chainfire (recommended!)

Congratulations! You should now be rooted.

Don't forget to make a donation or thank the OP in the original thread

Rooting Pre 4.4.4

Upgrade to one of the 4.4.4 FTFs listed above to save any hassle

Rooting The GPe

GPe Owners: Do not try and flash any FTFs to your device. You will BRICK it with no way to recover it.

Go to this thread and follow the steps.

Back up TA Partition:​

The TA partition is the "Trim Area". There are lots of things stored in here like root certs, revoked certs, DRM keys, current firmware version,... the list goes on. What we are concerned about here is with the DRM keys. Some service centres will not service a Sony device if these are missing. Unlocking the BL will erase these.

Once you lose these keys, you can't get them back, so backup the TA and upload it to your Dropbox etc

You will need Backup TA for Sony Xperia by @DevShaft Please read the thread.

Instructions:

Download the latest version of Backup TA.

Extract the ZIP file to a folder location of your choosing.

Navigate to the folder location of Backup TA.

Make sure no other script or application which is using ADB is running.

Make sure the device is booted in normal mode (the way you normally use it).

Run Backup-TA.bat

Read the last paragraph of the license before continuing.

Read the information and follow the instructions given by the tool.

Don't forget to make a donation or thank the OP in the original thread

Install Recovery:​

Download the latest version of @[NUT]'s Dual Recovery

Instructions:

Make sure you have USB debugging turned ON.

download ZU-lockeddualrecovery[VERSION]-BETA.installer.zip from http://nut.xperia-files.com

Windows:

unpack at C: or somewhere you will remember!

navigate to the resulting directory and look for install.bat, double click it to run;

Linux:

unpack in your home folder with 'unzip ZU-lockeddualrecovery[VERSION]-BETA.installer.zip'

navigate to the resulting directory and 'chmod +x install.sh', then execute it, follow instructions.

Your phone WILL reboot when installation has completed and it will go into the default recovery for the first boot.

Reboot to system from recovery to allow the installer to clean up after installation (it is safe to skip this step).

Enjoy DUAL RECOVERY!

Don't forget to make a donation or thank the OP in the original thread

Unlock the Bootloader:​

This will wipe your phone, so backup your stuff

You only need to unlock the bootloader if you want to run either a custom kernel or a custom ROM. Most ROMs based on the Sony releases will run on a locked bootloader.

Instructions:

Go to Sony's Developer site

Request the unlock key and check your mail straight away. Email is quick these days.

Open the latest Flashtool on your computer

Click the "BLU" icon

Follow the steps and enter your unlock key

Install Custom ROM:​

To install a custom ROM you will have to complete the steps above (ROOT, Back up the TA Partition, and Unlock the Bootloader) you dont need to have installed recovery but it will help you make a backup of the current state of your device.

After the above are done:

Backup current software with custom recovery (TWRP or cwm - use the same recovery the the new ROM uses*)

Downlod ROM

Extract boot.img from within the .zip

Flash the boot.img (not absolutely necessary but will mean you are on a recovery that is tested to work with the ROM)

In fastboot mode use either flashtool or the fastboot commands

- If you want to use the boot.img's recovery to make a back up of the current software/state of the device use:

fastboot boot boot.img

- or if you just want to flash the kernel and recovery to flash the ROM use:

fastboot flash boot boot.img
fastboot reboot

Wipe Data

Wipe Cache

Wipe Delvik Cache

Flash ROM

Reboot

*CM based ROMs normally use CWM. Slim and Omni based normally use TWRP

Using flashtool:​

Please use this very good guide: Flashtool XZU

Back to Stock:​

To get back to pure stock Sony there are several things that need to be done:

Make sure you have root

Backup any data/photos/etc on the phone

Restore your TA backup with the TA backup tool above

If you are on a custom kernel or ROM you ZU will not boot at this stage

Start flashtool and load a FTF

Start the flash and wait for the onscreen instructions to connect the ZU

Connect your ZU in flashmode

With the ZU powered off

Connect to PC while holding the volume down key

Flash will start

Wait for flash to complete

Handy Links:​

FTFs: The FTF depository thread

Flashtool: http://flashtool.net

SuperSU: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=eu.chainfire.supersu&hl=en

Glossary:​

FTF: A flashable package of Sony's stock firmware. These can be found in The FTF depository thread

TA Partition: The TA partition is the "Trim Area" there are lots of things stored in here like root cert, revoked certs, DRM keys, current firmware,... the list goe on. What we are concerned with is the DRM keys. Some service centres will not service a Sony device if these are missing. Unlocking the BL will erase these.

Bootloader or BL: This is the thing that loads Android. To run a custom ROM (non Sony) you have to unlock this

Root: You are GOD

boot.img: The kernel and recovery (on Xperia)

XDA:DevDB Information

Z-Ultra Root Guide, Tool/Utility for the Sony Xperia Z Ultra

Contributors

blueether, H. E. Pennypacker, adfurgerson, LordManhattan, [NUT], geohot, many others

Version Information

Status: Stable

Created 2014-11-13

Last Updated 2015-01-01