A root method has become available for the Sony Xperia ZL.
The root comes courtesy of XDA developer DooMLoRD. You can check out the development page to learn more. Directions for installing CWM Recovery will be provided prior to directions for rooting.
Disclaimer: iTech Post will not be held responsible for any damages to your device. All of the utilities in the guide belong to the owners or developers. Use at your own risk. Please also note that this guide is for the Sony Xperia ZL. DO NOT try this on any other device.
Preparation
1. Install USB Driver for the Sony Xperia ZL to transfer files between the computer and your device.
2. Enable USB Debugging Mode on the phone by pressing Menu -> Settings -> Applications. Navigate to and click on Development option and make sure that USB Debugging Mode is on.
3. Back up all data. If custom recovery such as CWM/TWRP is already installed, then it is recommended to back up the data using the same.
4. Your device should be at least 80 percent charged.
5. The phone's bootloader should be unlocked.
Directions To Install CWM Recovery [stock firmware 10.1.A.1.350/434 or ROMs based on the same firmware]
1. Download CWM Recovery 6.0.3.0 for Xperia ZL to the computer. Extract the downloaded zip to get the boot.img file [alternative link].
2. Make sure that the phone is having a working fastboot already installed [see guide here].
3. Turn off the Xperial ZL.
4. Press the Volume Up button to boot the device into fastboot mode.
5. Connect the USB cable from the computer to the phone.
6. Wait until the LED lights up in blue. If this doesn't happen, try a few more times.
7. On the computer, copy the boot.img file into C:Fastboot.
8. Open the Command prompt on the computer. Go to the Windows logo, then type CMD in the search box. Press Enter.
9. Type cd C:fastboot and then type fastboot flash boot boot.img
10. Once completed, try restarting the phone. CWM Recovery should now be installed on the device. [NOTE: The developer has stated that USB storage does not work in recovery. This can be fixed, however. It is advisable not to use this CWM recovery to flash CM10.1.]
Directions For Rooting [C650x, firmware version: 10.1.A.1.350]
1. Download the Root package [File name: SuperSU-1.25-Busybox-1.20.2-UPDATE.zip] for Xperia ZL to the computer.
2. Use the USB cable to connect the device with the computer. Copy the downloaded zip file to the phone's external SD card.
3. Unplug the USB cable from the phone, then boot the phone into CWM recovery mode. Press the Start button while continuing to press the Volume Down button. If you have trouble booting into recovery mode, try ROM Manager.
4. In the main CWM recovery menu, select "install zip from sdcard." Then select "choose zip from sdcard." Navigate to and select the root package that was copied earlier to the phone's SD card. Click Yes to confirm installation.
5. Once installation is complete, go back to the main recovery menu.
6. Reboot the device by choosing "reboot system now" from the recovery menu.
Once the reboot is complete, your Sony Xperia ZL should be successfully rooted with CWM recovery installed! To make sure the root method worked, download the Root Checker app from the Google Play Store.
