[Sony Xperia 5 IV] gram-hours:
[GUIDE][WINDOWS] Bootloader Unlock/Re-Lock, Rooting with Magisk and flashing Firmwares​

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Introducing this Guide​

Hello there and welcome to My Guide for Your Xperia Smartphone. This Guide will walk with You thru the whole Process of installing Drivers, getting an unlock Key for Your Bootloader, rooting with Magisk and even flashing GSI Custom ROMs up to re-locking Your Bootloader and re-flashing Stock for the total Factory Reset. This Thread/Guide is not meant as Wiki n'or will it teach You about Android at all. Inform Yourself using Google to enjoy the total Freedom and Customization of Android... If You can't solve Problems Yourself, by communicating and research, don't touch Your Bootloader!

IMPORTANT:

2020+ Xperias are using fastbootd, and equivalent to fastboot which runs in Userspace (Same as Recoveries).

You can access Your Recovery on Your Xperia by holding VolumeDown (-) & the Powerbutton (Your Device needs to be turned off before ofc). Release the Powerbutton after the Display turned on and hold VolumeDown (-) until You see the Recovery Screen. From there, You can enter fastbootd and fastboot. Labled as "Fastboot" for fastbootd and "Bootloader" which is the old fastboot. You can flash Kernels, Recoveries and other stuff from fastboot. Everything else like System Images (GSIs for example), Product Images, System_ext Images and any Userspace stuff has to be flashed from fastbootd. 2019 Xperias are still using fastboot only...

Fastboot and Fastbootd has nothing to do with SONYs Flashmode on Xperias!

INDEX:

Requirements

Installing Drivers

Firmware Flashing

Bootloader Unlocking & Magisk Root

GSI ROM flashing with Fastboot (Optional)

Bootloader Re-Locking (TheWayBack)

Firmware Restoring after Re-Locking

1. Requirements:

Read! Inform Yourself about the Tools You use...

Xperia Basics:

Your Device is turned Off...

Blue LED=Fastboot (Hold VolumeUp (+) & Connect to USB)

Green LED=Flashmode (Hold VoumeDown (-) & Connect to USB)

Windows 10/11 for Firmware flashing & downloading

Xperia Bootloader Unlock Key (From HERE)

Platform Tools alias ADB and Fastboot (From HERE)

Fastboot and Flashmode Drivers (From HERE and HERE)

EMMA for Firmware Updates (From HERE)

XperiFirm for Firmware Downloads (From XDA)

Unsin to extract the Kernel .sin from XperiFirm (From XDA)

Magisk Manager to patch the extracted Kernel .sin (From GitHub)

A working Android System for the Magisk Kernel patching

GSI & vbmeta Image (From Google) (Optional)

A Backup of Your Internal Devices Storage (Optional)

2. Installing Drivers:

Download the Drivers from the Links above and extract them

Install the downloaded and extracted Drivers by right clicking on the ***.inf Files "Install"

3. Flashing Firmwares with EMMA:

Download EMMA and install it

Start EMMA and connect Your Device to USB (Flashmode)

3.1. Downloading Firmwares with XperiFirm:

Download and extract XperiFirm from the link above

Run XperiFirm and Download the right Firmware for Your Device

4. Bootloader Unlocking and Magisk Root:

Note: Since You are going to unlock Your Bootloader, You may surely want to get Root. So let's start with Magisk or it will take more Time afterwards...

Download UnSin from the link above and extract it somewhere

Download the "Platform Tools" from Google and extract it to the root of Your main Windows Drive

Download and install the Magisk Manager on Your Android Device

Extract the File boot_********.sin (60MB+ File) with the Unsin Exe (Drag and drop the Image on the Exe)

You will get a .img File which You can patch now with the Magisk Manager on Your Android Device

Open the Magisk Manager and Install Magisk by selecting the Image File You just got from UnSin

Copy the magisk_patched.img in /download from Your Device to the Platform Tools Folder

Grab Your Device again, go to "About Phone" in the Settings and tap several Times on the build Version

Go now to the Developer Settings under "System" and enable "OEM-Unlock" and "USB-Debugging"

Use now the Platform Tools with this Commands (In Powershell):

Type now (Step by Step):

cd\
cd platform-tools

Note: To use the Platform Tools Folder as environment for Fastboot and ADB. Or hold Shift and Make a right Click in the Platform Tools Folder to open the Command prompt there...

Type now:

adb reboot bootloader

You will get a prompt on Your Xperia Device. Your Device will Reboot afterwards...

Now Your Bootloader Unlock Code:

fastboot oem unlock 0xYOURKEY

Wait for it... And type now:

fastboot reboot

Wait for Your Device to Wipe and Start. Once in the Android System, turn Your Device off without USB Connected

Press and hold now the VolumeUp (+) Button while connecting to USB to enable the fastboot Mode

Continue with flashing the Images for Root (Step by Step):

fastboot flash boot_a magisk_patched.img
fastboot flash boot_b magisk_patched.img

Wipe and Reboot:

fastboot -w
fastboot reboot

Note: Your are unlocked and rooted now! Enjoy Your Unleashed Device

5. GSI flashing with Fastboot:

Note: GSI ROMs can be found around the Web. Like here...

Treble-Enabled Device Development A/AB ROMS

Treble-Enabled Device Development A/AB ROMS

xdaforums.com

Not all GSIs require the vbmeta change. You can use all GSIs that are made for ARM64 + A/B Devices. Play around. Systems can't damage Your Device since You keep the Stock Vendor & Kernel! You can use any Android Version! Don't forget to make backups if needed. You are going to Format Your Device!

Download a GSI Zip from Google

Extract the system.img and the vbmeta.img to Your Platform-Tools

Connect Your Device in Fastboot Mode and use Fastboot with:

(On 2020+ Xperias run: "fastboot reboot fastboot" first after You booted into fastboot)

fastboot flash system_a system.img
fastboot flash system_b system.img
[Optional] fastboot --disable-verity --disable-verification flash vbmeta_a vbmeta.img
[Optional] fastboot --disable-verity --disable-verification flash vbmeta_b vbmeta.img
fastboot -w (This does Format Your Device and is needed everytime You change the GSI!)
fastboot reboot

6. Bootloader Re-Lock:

Flash the latest Firmware for Your Device with EMMA

Erase all Userdata before You continue (like with fastboot -w or via Recovery)

Just go into Fastboot mode and type in the command prompt (like before in this Guide):

fastboot oem lock

Wait for Your Device and disconnect it from USB

Done... Continue with Step 7.

7. Firmware Restoring after Re-Locking:

Download and Install the "Xperia Companion" from SONY

Open the Xperia Companion and select Software Repair

Select that Your Device can't get recognized (or is a Smartwatch 3 lol)

Go to the next Page and select the Xperia Smartphone Option

Continue and wait for the Initialization

Press and hold Volume DOWN while connecting to USB (You will see the Green Flashmode LED again)

Continue once Your Device gets recognized and let the Xperia Companion do his work...

Done. Your Bootloader is locked again and almost all of Your DRMs are restored.