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I'm trying to use ROM Manager app to backup the current ROM of my Xperia Z but it seems that cannot be done without unlocking the bootloader/ installing ClockWorkMod Recovery.

Is there any alternative for me to backup current ROM and flash another ROM without having to mess with bootloader or ClockWordMod Recovery?

Note that my device is already rooted using this method.

According to Sony's website, messing with the bootloader is likely to void warranty which defeats my purpose and so all my attempts to backup the stock ROM here.

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  • Flashing another ROM would most likely also void your warranty (as long as it's no stock ROM provided by the manufacturer/provider). – Izzy♦ Aug 25 '13 at 16:23
  • But if I could backup my current ROM, I would be able to flash it back so it looks like it has not been modified, I believe. Some people mention there are DRMs that come with the stock ROM but I don't know if the service centres are going to check them all the times. – ericn Aug 26 '13 at 1:04
  • It's a chicken-and-egg problem: In order to backup your ROM, you need to root first. Having rooted, it's no longer the "untouched" ROM, but (from the manufacturers/providers view) "tainted". No third way, to my knowledge. – Izzy♦ Aug 26 '13 at 5:55
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I found another way to do it. This one uses Terminal Emulator or adb shell.
Open a shell as root. You first determine what device blocks /system and /boot are, with ls -al /dev/block/platform/dw_mmc/by-name. Note that the dw_mmc may vary between devices. You'll need to find it yourself. Then dd if=/dev/block/systemblock of=/storage/sdcard0/system.img and dd if=/dev/block/bootblock of=/storage/sdcard0/boot.img will backup all your Android system.

If you want to restore using this solution: boot into recovery, mount your SD Card, then in a adb shell, do 

su
dd if=/storage/sdcard0/system.img of=/dev/block/systemblock
dd if=/storage/sdcard0/boot.img of=/dev/block/bootblock
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Copying /system and /boot anywhere else should do the trick. You could then create a flash package for reinstalling it, or use TWRP to directly move the files.
If you are lucky enough, you can find the stock ROM or OTA flash packages for your phone online.

Edit: If you want to create your own flash package, this forum thread on XDA will introduce to the edify scripting language, while this wiki page helps to package your zip file. You can take update-binary from any flashable zip and put it into yours, while updater-script is where your edify code will live.

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  • To improve your answer, edit your post to explain how to create your own flash package for the Xperia. You can link to other guides but make sure to include an excerpt. You'll have my upvote when you do. – Aaron Gillion Mar 13 '16 at 0:33

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