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[Q] To root or not to root?

Some of my friends told me that certain Xperia features get broken after a root, and that my phone does not have a stock recovery..i earlier had a micromax a52 (didnt run into any root related problems, custom roms worked fine)
Can anybody run me through rooting my phone, installing cwm recovery and custom mods?
Does the bravia engine get disabled? Is there a way to avoid/revert it? Is bravia engine useful at all?
Just looking for a little help, noob here

hexr96 said:
Some of my friends told me that certain Xperia features get broken after a root, and that my phone does not have a stock recovery..i earlier had a micromax a52 (didnt run into any root related problems, custom roms worked fine)
Can anybody run me through rooting my phone, installing cwm recovery and custom mods?
Does the bravia engine get disabled? Is there a way to avoid/revert it? Is bravia engine useful at all?
Just looking for a little help, noob here
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Rooting guide here
If you don't unlock your bootloader no Xperia features are broken.
If you unlock your bootloader and root some functions like DRM & Software Update may not be working anymore.

Joery360 said:
Rooting guide here
If you don't unlock your bootloader no Xperia features are broken.
If you unlock your bootloader and root some functions like DRM & Software Update may not be working anymore.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
any advantages of unlocking bootloader? I know for a fact that my bootloader is unlockable

hexr96 said:
any advantages of unlocking bootloader? I know for a fact that my bootloader is unlockable
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's required if you want to use custom roms based on 4.4
But there aren't any daily use roms available. You should keep it locked until Brinly Taylor releases CM.
(And if you unlock it make sure to backup your TA first)

Thankyouu

You should definitely root and then install Xposed Framework and every sort of module that you like. One of the most famous ones is Gravity box, you can almost do everything with it, for example change the size of the nav bar, which in my opinion is insanely huge by default, but you can do a lot more with it.
It's also worth installing Tinted Status Bar, Xperia Flip Settings, Xposed DTN disabler, Hide Stamina mode icon, NFC LockScreenOff Enabler, All Notifications Expanded and so on, you can do everything with root.

I have to root my fon for a call recorder to work. Shud i only root it thru motochopper or shud i go for full root by unlocking bootloader?

If you are on the latest firmware which is 15.3.A.1.14
You should really root your Xperia L by procedure written in link provided
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2591290
Sent from my C2105 using xda app-developers app

According to me only Rooting gives you the full ownership of the phone.Root ASAP.
sent from Pyro_Script

DRM and root

Hello,
It is possible to get root (for xprivacy) without losing the DRM keys (no bootloader unlock)?
If yes, how?

Not currently..

DJ BlackEagle said:
Hello,
It is possible to get root (for xprivacy) without losing the DRM keys (no bootloader unlock)?
If yes, how?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not yet, and the only reason I do not own this phone yet

Sindroid said:
Not currently..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is someone working on this?

funkyblue04 said:
Not yet, and the only reason I do not own this phone yet
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The phone is good. Only one thing is bad. It's the camera.
The camera from the Samsung Galaxy S3 and from Huawei Ascend P7 is better than from Sony Xperia Z3. It's sad, in the past (several years) was Sony good in cameras (mobile phones).

I think root with locked bootloader is being worked on.

funkyblue04 said:
Not yet, and the only reason I do not own this phone yet
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The same here [emoji1]

DJ BlackEagle said:
The phone is good. Only one thing is bad. It's the camera.
The camera from the Samsung Galaxy S3 and from Huawei Ascend P7 is better than from Sony Xperia Z3. It's sad, in the past (several years) was Sony good in cameras (mobile phones).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I really don't know how you compare the camera of Z3 with Galaxy S3 !!!!

I also do not believe the camera is bad at all.

dany20mh said:
I really don't know how you compare the camera of Z3 with Galaxy S3 !!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because I had a Samsung Galaxy S3 and the Huawei Ascend P7 before.
So I can compare it good.

funkyblue04 said:
I also do not believe the camera is bad at all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not fully bad, but can be better.
Take a photo of a tree or so. And look on the sheet. And you can see, it's not clear. Here on the forum exists this pictures.

I need a root so badly so I can get stock android. I am very upset there is still no root without unlocking the bootloader!

Yeah. I expected a fast solution as this phone is kinda popular

DJ BlackEagle said:
Because I had a Samsung Galaxy S3 and the Huawei Ascend P7 before.
So I can compare it good.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So say that, it's your personal opinion, cause if you check every where you will see the best camera right now is by Z3.

raviboy100 said:
Yeah. I expected a fast solution as this phone is kinda popular
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I guess we can agree that the IPhone is waaaaaaay more popular and still an untethered Jailbreak sometimes needed months to become available.
And its not a matter of popularity or how bad we want it, it also includes luck besides methodology to stumble upon a suitable exploit. This is meticulous sifting trough code until you're lucky.

Do you think it will ever be possible to get root and install a custom rom without losing the DRM keys for the camera? In another thread i read that you have to backup a partition to avoid losing the codes before flashing anything, but can these codes even be used again when restored?
I really like the phone and would want to have it as a replacement for my One M7, but as long as there is no solution i will delay my decision.. I can't imagine Android without root anymore, so the camera DRM keys are a no-go when rooting.

What about this way:
Backup the DRM keys
Root the phone
The keys get deleted.
Restore the DRM keys.
Would this work, without losing some features?

DJ BlackEagle said:
What about this way:
Backup the DRM keys
Root the phone
The keys get deleted.
Restore the DRM keys.
Would this work, without losing some features?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When you restore the TA partition it relocks the bootloader, hence you lose root.
Either you have
Unlocked bootloader, root and no DRM keys
or
Locked bootloader, no root and keep DRM keys
Until there is a locked bootloader root method this is the way it will be.

But you definitely CAN restore the DRM keys to get back the original camera quality if you decide that you don't want / need root anymore? In other words, 100% restore to stock is possible if DRM keys were saved?

Ehm, and as far as I know you need root to backup the TA-partition and DRM-keys... Which kind of is the issue atm.
But if there is root possibility without unlock it should (at some time) be possible to backup the TA-partition/DRM-keys after which it SHOULD be possible to relock the bootloader (and get full functionality as stock) again.
Then again, this is all theoretical and based on earlier models.

Help a Xperia noob out with some questions please :L

So this is my first xperia device since the Xperia Arc was released way back when, and I have been using HTC phones. Which are WAY different in terms of Rooting / Unlocking / Etc.
So long story short, What I want to know is what Can I currently do to the Xperia Z5? I see there's no custom ROM's yet which is expected , but I see mixed results about unlocked BootLoader & Root , the main thread says that a bootloader hasn't been achieved, yet there's a few root methods which have been successfully completed , requiring an unlocked bootloader, so naturally you could see the confusion..... Can someone point a SONY noob towards the right direction in terms of bootloader unlock / rooting? Running the E6653 ( not sure if there's variants )

Basically you currently need to unlock the bootloader to to get root. And doing so loses some features which u may possibly never get back. So most people are currently waiting for another way around to be figured out
Sent from my Xperia z5 using Tapatalk

well ****...
Ben36 said:
Basically you currently need to unlock the bootloader to to get root. And doing so loses some features which u may possibly never get back. So most people are currently waiting for another way around to be figured out
Sent from my Xperia z5 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My heart literally dropped as I read this..... Because I already unlocked the bootloader. I'm assuming it's the bootloader unlocking that destroys some features? If so , which ones?
And how can I tell if they were actually destroyed / bootloader unlock actually worked

Unlocking the bootloader on Xperias will delete the device's DRM keys. These keys are unique per device and once gone are gone forever. They're needed for Image enhancements like X-Reality/Bravia/Super-Vivid and some camera features too - low light and noise reduction algorithms I think. Sound improvements (ClearAudio+...) too.

ricodredd said:
Unlocking the bootloader on Xperias will delete the device's DRM keys. These keys are unique per device and once gone are gone forever. They're needed for Image enhancements like X-Reality/Bravia/Super-Vivid and some camera features too - low light and noise reduction algorithms I think. Sound improvements (ClearAudio+...) too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well crap lol, is there any way to actually make sure that the DRM's were deleted or if the bootloader unlock was actually successful? I still have a few days to swap the phone out if anything goes wrong ( Bell wouldn't be able to tell a bootloader unlock ) , I haven't had enough play time with the phone before the process to actually see a difference with the camera, I read somewhere that if TrackID works, than it's not unlocked, is that true?

Going from Z to Z5 Compact - downgrade to 4.42?

Evening all,
Just placed an order for the Z5 Compact after my Z has started playing up after 3 years of use,
Basically I had mine rooted a long time ago, and I havnt really touched it since or done any rooting/customization in ages and im drawing a blank..
Basically want to root the Z5 and downgrade to the 4.42 firmware as I have on my Z, as I dislike the 5.51 software the menu options etc looks very tacky for stock Sony layout, and it looks like 6 marshmallow is the same.
Is this feasible or reccomended?
Is there a step by step guide I can follow as I am seriously ****e with computers and all this stuff, I also wanted to learn about and if there are guides on how I can customise the menu etc If I can keep 5.51 or even upgrade to 6.0 and root the device and install a custom theme and change the menu layout etc?
Is this possible at all, I know people have custom software but I havnt a clue on how to go about rooting it let alone customising it...
Any help much appreciated!

There is no 4.4.2 firmware available for z5 series...

Daniel_GB said:
There is no 4.4.2 firmware available for z5 series...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
lol cool well that answers that, can the menu/ settings etc be customized and changed,

kam90 said:
lol cool well that answers that, can the menu/ settings etc be customized and changed,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think you can customize settings menu in stock roms...

Daniel_GB said:
I don't think you can customize settings menu in stock roms...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Im planning on rooting from 5.51 found a decent guide with use of command prompt so should be easy I hope! Is there an app/program downloadable after root which will allow me to apply custom themes/ menu layouts.
I can only remember Super SU, and theres an aptoide one I had iirc

hey. no offense but i'd suggest you read and learn a bit more about rooting newer xperia devices before you do any mistake.
its for sure no easy thing if you arent much into this stuff. just to mention one thing: at this moment there is no way to root the z5
with locked bootloader. unlocking your bootloader means, that you most probably lose your warranty and the drm keys. those keys
can be simulated by a workaround, but infact they are gone forever without any chance to restore them.
in the end, rooting the z5 now is a process of unlocking bootloader (via flashtool or adb), flash kernel via adb, flash twrp recovery via adb
and finally install supersu via twrp flash.
these should be enough keywords to google for, and/or getting knowledge here in xda forums. once again, i just can advice
you read all those guides twice....

VorlonKosh said:
hey. no offense but i'd suggest you read and learn a bit more about rooting newer xperia devices before you do any mistake.
its for sure no easy thing if you arent much into this stuff. just to mention one thing: at this moment there is no way to root the z5
with locked bootloader. unlocking your bootloader means, that you most probably lose your warranty and the drm keys. those keys
can be simulated by a workaround, but infact they are gone forever without any chance to restore them.
in the end, rooting the z5 now is a process of unlocking bootloader (via flashtool or adb), flash kernel via adb, flash twrp recovery via adb
and finally install supersu via twrp flash.
these should be enough keywords to google for, and/or getting knowledge here in xda forums. once again, i just can advice
you read all those guides twice....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
DRM keys arent really required though are they? are they not restorable/ way to back them up prior, ive googled Z5 compact root and ive got loads of links on search results though

Voiding warranty of new device and god knows what will be with restored fake DRM keys with further updates, and no, there is NO rooting Z5 series with having Bootloader locked for now, i doubt there will ever be a method but hope im wrong. You might want to reconsider Z5 series, replace your Z with Z3 that is easily rootable even with locked BL and is on Marshmallow list.

kam90 said:
DRM keys arent really required though are they? are they not restorable/ way to back them up prior, ive googled Z5 compact root and ive got loads of links on search results though
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well, the drm keys are required for e.g. x-reality, camera postprocessing, ps controller support and much more. at the moment the drm restore patch works, but who knows, google or sony could counterpatch this aswell. you can only backup them with root. to get root you need to unlock your bootloader first. unlock bootloader = drm key lost forever. you cant lock your bootloader without original drm keys, and with unlocked bootloader you dont have ota updates and pc companion wont work anymore. means, you always have to update manually with
flashtool.

Really?! Cause with my Z I could link up with pc companion and do a factory reset which wiped out the root and everything on it when it froze up..
What about the main thread on this forum... is there any other reading or threads/guides in relation to this

Do you think there are still the drm keys?

Hello. I bought a used Xperia XZ2 compact, beautiful. But the quality of the photos (especially in the dark) is bad.
I have the doubt that the old owner had rooted the device or unlocked the bootloader, losing the DRM keys, causing the bad quality of the photos.
Is there a way to understand if the DRM keys are still on the phone?
I tried to access the hidden menu by typing *#*#7378423#*#* and in Service Info -> Security appears as in the attached photo.
Do you think the DRM keys are there?
Could someone take a screenshot on his XZ2 Compact with the DRM keys?
Thank you.

What stands in the service menu after bootloader unlocked ? If there stands like this : bootloader unlocked: yes
Then its unlocked for sure. And that stands under configuration

Pandemic said:
What stands in the service menu after bootloader unlocked ? If there stands like this : bootloader unlocked: yes
Then its unlocked for sure. And that stands under configuration
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it says bootloader unlock allowed: yes
it's like that for every phone, also the unlocked ones

Yes your DRM layer looks perfectly fine/functional.

the drm keys are restorable on xz2c even if someone unlocks the bootloader ?

bob1791 said:
the drm keys are restorable on xz2c even if someone unlocks the bootloader ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the same question.

David-538 said:
I have the same question.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I unlocked the bootloader yesterday and checked for the drm key in the hidden menu.. and I found out that anything was changed... =)
EDIT:
unexpectedly I notice that the booloader was not unlocked when I tried to install the twrp recovery. Doing again the oem unlock results in DRM Keys LOST... sorry for the inconvenience

bob1791 said:
I unlocked the bootloader yesterday and checked for the drm key in the hidden menu.. and I found out that anything was changed... =)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That means it's lost right ? How's the camera quality now, still the same ? And does it take much longer to take a picture ?

David-538 said:
That means it's lost right ? How's the camera quality now, still the same ? And does it take much longer to take a picture ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If it was lost before I do'n't know because I bought the phone like new but the drm keys was provisioned and in other threads I read that this mean the drm keys are still there.. Of course the camera quality still is the same but sony removed this "function" (and for "this function" I mean the fact that if the drm keys are lost your camera won't works) with Android 9 and I already tested this with the XZ1 compact.

bob1791 said:
If it was lost before I do'n't know because I bought the phone like new but the drm keys was provisioned and in other threads I read that this mean the drm keys are still there.. Of course the camera quality still is the same but sony removed this "function" (and for "this function" I mean the fact that if the drm keys are lost your camera won't works) with Android 9 and I already tested this with the XZ1 compact.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you saying that after unlocking, one can't downgrade to older firmware versions, without breaking the camera ?

David-538 said:
Are you saying that after unlocking, one can't downgrade to older firmware versions, without breaking the camera ?
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Click to collapse
I didn't say that.. I said that unlocking bootloader on Android 11 on my XZ2 compact didmn't break the camera and seems that the drm keys are still there. Furthermore Sony has removed the drm keys camera dependency since Android 9, so if you run Android 9 or newer you camera will still work even if you will unlock the bootloader.

bob1791 said:
I didn't say that.. I said that unlocking bootloader on Android 11 on my XZ2 compact didmn't break the camera and seems that the drm keys are still there. Furthermore Sony has removed the drm keys camera dependency since Android 9, so if you run Android 9 or newer you camera will still work even if you will unlock the bootloader.
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Click to collapse
Thanks, this is great news. I was wondering if keys get lost after unlocking the bootloader. Also are they still there after flashing custom roms ?

David-538 said:
Thanks, this is great news. I was wondering if keys get lost after unlocking the bootloader. Also are they still there after flashing custom roms ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know if the keys still remain there after flashing custom roms... I think that they will be wipe because when you flash a rom you need to wipe everything but you can make a backup before doing some destructive operation. But I'm not sure about the backup and other stuff to preserve the drm keys...

bob1791 said:
I don't know if the keys still remain there after flashing custom roms... I think that they will be wipe because when you flash a rom you need to wipe everything but you can make a backup before doing some destructive operation. But I'm not sure about the backup and other stuff to preserve the drm keys...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, but thanks for the info...

David-538 said:
Ok, but thanks for the info...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're welcome. I'm looking for a good custom rom to put in my XZ2 Compact right now....

Of course unlocking the bootloader delete the drm keys... But the camera is still working

bob1791 said:
Of course unlocking the bootloader delete the drm keys... But the camera is still working
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Uhm, how slow is capturing photos after unlocking the bootloader? I read somewhere that it becomes much slower. And that super slowmo video doesn't work after unlocking. Could you confirm that, or did it only happen on android 9 or older firmware?

se
David-538 said:
Uhm, how slow is capturing photos after unlocking the bootloader? I read somewhere that it becomes much slower. And that super slowmo video doesn't work after unlocking. Could you confirm that, or did it only happen on android 9 or older firmware?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
seems it is the same.. I taken a pic in a low light environment and I didn't notice any lag

se
David-538 said:
Uhm, how slow is capturing photos after unlocking the bootloader? I read somewhere that it becomes much slower. And that super slowmo video doesn't work after unlocking. Could you confirm that, or did it only happen on android 9 or older firmware?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
seems it is the same.. I taken a pic in a low light environment and I didn't notice any lag

bob1791 said:
se
seems it is the same.. I taken a pic in a low light environment and I didn't notice any lag
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay thanks for the info.