[Sony Xperia M4 Aqua] Hnk1:
[MENTION=6915461]zw3n[/MENTION] [MENTION=6907849]alby_var[/MENTION] [MENTION=2343291]husam666[/MENTION] [MENTION=4790698]S7relok[/MENTION]

Hello

I looked into the kernel a bit and I had been disappointed as there is not much I could do.

However, there are few ways by which root might be acquired. I will explain that to you all

Firstly I suppose the best way would be to have a temporary recovery that flashes SuperSU. This would be the easiest solution by far but we would need an exploit the overruns stock recovery and pushes SuperSU files. This means that we alter the code to accept a key to basically let the custom recovery boot once. This is easier if we can find even a partial /broken recovery to work on M4 Aqua.

Secondly,altering the bootloader code which is responsible for boot-loading can also be thought about and by overriding some values in the bootloader (even locked bootloader should work) but I just figure out this would beed an additional signing key. It would then allow even modified FTFs to be flashed via flashtool. However, even a slight thing goes wrong and we can end up with permanent hard brick as fastboot might endup being broken so no FTF can be flashed.

Another method would be come up with script that extracts FTFs in set of images that is flashed by a fastboot script. This means that in the end result, it would be a long process and it might be easier to just look into a recovery rather.

Out of all these, I guess if we can flash a custom recovery (could be possibly in a kernel as well) which installs SuperSu and then flashed the stock unmodified kernel back in its place.

Lastly another method that I can provide you with a PREROOTED ZIP for your

FTF (E2303_26.1.A.2.99_Central Europe1)

(I can upload it if you want it) but then again, it would be useless without a recovery. I am not sure if flashing via flashtool manually be of any help though.

So in the end, I think rather than finding an exploit for root, if we can possible put our efforts on recovery, we can go a long way as recovery is the base of all development and flashing Custom kernels/Roms.

I am sorry that I do not have much time due to my job but this update is best that I can do for now on. I have only made one recovery previously and due to lack of time on my hand and expertise in this regard, it might take me some time before I actually come up with a recovery. (or might never come up at all) So all of you who are trying for an exploit should work over towards recovery rather than root as with all my efforts aimed at root have been unsuccessful I am afraid.

If you have unlocked bootloader and want to give it a try ?

But before that, if unlocked bootloaders can try this out.

Make sure you have adb drivers installed and run cmd from extracted tools folder.

In CMD window Type

->adb devices
->adb push busybox /data/local/tmp

->adb push su /data/local/tmp

->adb push Supersu.apk /data/local/tmp

adb shell

if you see "$" sign in cmd, you are not in SU shell.

Soft Root try

->chmod 6755 /data/local/tmp/su

->chmod 755 /data/local/tmp/busybox

->chmod 644 /data/local/tmp/SuperSu.apk

File names are case sensitive. If you get an error, make sure the file name is right.

If it fails. Try

adb reboot recovery

and try the above commands in stock recovey (if it shows up via adb of course).

This should give a temporary root and then apps like iroot / kingo PC (version & apks.) might be able to push superSU

Alternatively I found a linux method . You can easily google how to boot linux from USB drive. USE METHOD 2