Update Sony Xperia Z and ZL to Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean via CyanogenMod 10.1 RC5 ROM [How to Install]

Users of Sony Xperia Z and ZL smartphones can now enjoy the latest Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean custom features in a stable release, thanks to the release of CyanogenMod 10.1 (CM10.1) RC5 ROM from the CyanogenMod team. The CyanogenMod ROMs are based on the original Android Open Source Project (AOSP) release, which is reportedly designed to offer better performance and reliability than the stock Android versions.

Key Points to Note

• The CyanogenMod 10.1 RC5 ROM and the instructions given in this guide are meant for the Sony Xperia Z and ZL models only. Verify the device model number by navigating to Settings > About Phone.
• Back up data and settings using a recommended custom recovery tool such as ClockworkMod (CWM) or TWRP, as it creates a complete image of the existing phone setup.
• Verify correct USB drivers for the phone are installed on the computer (download Sony Xperia Z or ZL USB drivers)
• Ensure USB debugging mode is enabled on the phone, by navigating to Settings > Developer Options (if device is running Android 4.0 or later) or Settings >Applications> Development (if device is running Android 2.3 or earlier). Otherwise if device is running Android 4.2, perform the following steps:
• Go to Settings > About Phone
• Scroll to the bottom of the screen and select Build Number
• Tap the phone's Build Number seven times to unlock or reveal the hidden Developer Options under Settings. Then select the checkbox to enable USB debugging mode under Settings > Developer Options.
• Make sure the phone has at least 80% battery charge to prevent unexpected device shutdown (due to battery drain) while installing the ROM.
• Ensure the device is unlocked (not locked to a specific carrier) and rooted with ClockworkMod Recovery (CWM) installed.
• If the device is stuck at booting or is experiencing boot loop issues, perform Wipe Cache Partition and Wipe Dalvik Cache a few more times before rebooting.
• Allow newly installed ROM to stabilise for five minutes before you start working on it.
• If you encounter a Status 7 error message while flashing the firmware, then it could be due to an incompatible device or a necessary kernel may be missing (for instance, a Jelly Bean Kernel must be installed before installing any Jelly Bean ROM).
• Instructions provided in this guide are meant for reference purpose only. IBTimes UK reminds its readers that it will not be held liable if device is damaged or bricked during or after firmware installation. Users are advised to proceed at their own risk.

How to Install Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean Based CyanogenMod 10.1 RC5 ROM on Sony Xperia Z and ZL

Step 1: Download CM10.1 RC5 ROM for Sony Xperia Z and CM10.1 RC5 ROM for Sony Xperia ZL . Then download Google Apps.

Step 2: Connect and mount the phone's storage on computer via USB cable.

Step 3: Without extracting, copy the downloaded zip files to the root folder on your phone's SD card.

Step 4: Once the file transfer procedure is complete, Power off the phone and disconnect its USB cable from computer.

Step 5: Boot the phone into recovery mode. To do so, first Power on your device and wait until the purple LED light turns on. Then tap Volume Up button continuously until the device enters Recovery mode [NOTE: use volume buttons to navigate and Power button to select an option in recovery].

Step 6: Take a Nandroid backup of your existing ROM so that it can be restored later if the new ROM fails to work or you want to return to the original ROM. To do a backup, choose Backup and Restore and then hit Backup again on next screen. Return to main recovery menu once backup is complete.

Step 7: It is advisable to perform a full data wipe task to eliminate conflicts between newly installed ROM and previous ROM. To do so, first click wipe data/factory reset, then choose Yes on next screen to confirm. Wait for a few minutes until the data wipe process completes. Now return to CWM recovery main menu and choose wipe cache partition. Wait until the wiping process completes and then select Wipe Dalvik Cache under advance option. Once the wiping process is over, you can safely proceed to the next step.

Step 8: Choose Install zip from SD card and then click Choose zip from SD card. Now, browse to the cm-10.1.0-RC5-yuga.zip file that you copied earlier in Step 3 and select it by tapping Power button. Confirm the ROM installation on next screen and soon the installation process will begin.

Step 9: Once the ROM installation is complete, repeat the step 8 but choose gapps-jb-20130301-signed.zip instead of ROM zip to install Google apps.

Step 10: Once both the ROM and Google apps are installed, return to the main recovery menu and tap reboot system now. The phone will now reboot into the newly installed ROM. But the first boot may take around 5 to 15 minutes to complete. So, do not interrupt the process.

Returning to Previous ROM: To restore your previous ROM, boot into recovery, choose backup and restore then restore your previous ROM by choosing it from the list.

Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean based CyanogenMod 10.1 RC5 ROM is now running on your Sony Xperia Z/ZL. Go to Settings > About phone to verify the firmware version installed.

[Source: Droid Firmwares - Sony Xperia Z / Xperia ZL]