[DrSheep]

SUCCESS!
 
After A LOT of digging all you have to do is the following for the image dump (assume rooted):
 
1, go to ConnectBot or any terminal program.
2, type SU and enter to get #
3, type this command "cat /proc/partitions" no quotes and enter.
4, you should see a list of "files" like mmcblk0p5 and such, those are your rom partitions.
5, write all those file names down.
6, use this command for the rom dump: "cat /dev/block/PARTITION_NAME > /sdcard/PARTITION_NAME.img", replace PARTITION_NAME with any of the partition listed before.  For example, if you want to dump the kernel, which is mmcblk0p5, you type "cat /dev/block/mmcblk0p5 > /sdcard/mmcblk0p5.img" and entre.
7, this will take a while, but when finished, you will see the .img file in your /sdcard.  Just connect to your computer and get the files back out of your F.
 
As for recovery, get flash_image and read the very last part of the instructions here.

 

[sicko]

  SUCCESS!
 
After A LOT of digging all you have to do is the following for the image dump (assume rooted):
 
1, go to ConnectBot or any terminal program.
2, type SU and enter to get #
3, type this command "cat /proc/partitions" no quotes and enter.
4, you should see a list of "files" like mmcblk0p5 and such, those are your rom partitions.
5, write all those file names down.
6, use this command for the rom dump: "cat /dev/block/PARTITION_NAME > /sdcard/PARTITION_NAME.img", replace PARTITION_NAME with any of the partition listed before.  For example, if you want to dump the kernel, which is mmcblk0p5, you type "cat /dev/block/mmcblk0p5 > /sdcard/mmcblk0p5.img" and entre.
7, this will take a while, but when finished, you will see the .img file in your /sdcard.  Just connect to your computer and get the files back out of your F.
 
As for recovery, get flash_image and read the very last part of the instructions here.

Were you able to get a custom recovery installed??
You're my last hope as I might have gotten overwhelmed and went ahead with customizing my Z without considering the limitations and sadly, now I have a soft-bricked Walkman (stuck in bootloop).

 

Also, how are we gonna get the recovery installed if there is no "flash" or "update" option in the stock recovery?
Plus, have you been able to discover any different booting modes other than the normal one, like Samsung's download mode or Xperia's flash mode?

 

[DrSheep]

I can't compile a CWM for the F, but as long as you have root, you can do something similar to get the dump or flash.  The trick is to get the list of partitions for your device, as I found out that the locations changes from release to release.  For example, for 4.0.4 is /proc/partitions, but for others it might have been cat /proc/mtd or /proc/emmc or whatever.  Just go into /proc and look around.  Also, I think this will be helpful:
 
http://www.all-things-android.com/content/review-android-partition-layout
 
Also for your Z, did you try to boot into the default recovery?  If not, try the following:
 
hold down power and vol - to boot into safe mode.
hold down power and vol + to boot system recovery.
 
The button combo maybe different for your Z, but try various holding patterns until you get it to work.

 

[sicko]

  I can't compile a CWM for the F, but as long as you have root, you can do something similar to get the dump or flash.  The trick is to get the list of partitions for your device, as I found out that the locations changes from release to release.  For example, for 4.0.4 is /proc/partitions, but for others it might have been cat /proc/mtd or /proc/emmc or whatever.  Just go into /proc and look around.  Also, I think this will be helpful:
 
http://www.all-things-android.com/content/review-android-partition-layout
 
Also for your Z, did you try to boot into the default recovery?  If not, try the following:
 
hold down power and vol - to boot into safe mode.
hold down power and vol + to boot system recovery.
 
The button combo maybe different for your Z, but try various holding patterns until you get it to work.

I can boot into the recovery mode easily, but when I try safe mode it goes into bootloop but I am able to see the "safe mode" watermark for a split second and then the prompt "Sony.EULA has stopped working" and then it boots again.
Also tried wiping the cache and factory reset, but to no avail.

 

[DrSheep]

  I can boot into the recovery mode easily, but when I try safe mode it goes into bootloop but I am able to see the "safe mode" watermark for a split second and then the prompt "Sony.EULA has stopped working" and then it boots again.
Also tried wiping the cache and factory reset, but to no avail.

I guess I will have to dig around somemore, but did you have a backup of your rom before you flashed?  However, I don't know how is building a recovery rom for the F helps your Z in this case.  I guess the only way to fix yours is to 1, discover the flash mode for your Z or F; and 2, get / make a working rom for you.  I can seriously use some help on how to fix my ADB and get all the codes and programs necessary for the recompile...

 

[sicko]

  I guess I will have to dig around somemore, but did you have a backup of your rom before you flashed?  However, I don't know how is building a recovery rom for the F helps your Z in this case.  I guess the only way to fix yours is to 1, discover the flash mode for your Z or F; and 2, get / make a working rom for you.  I can seriously use some help on how to fix my ADB and get all the codes and programs necessary for the recompile...

Both of them kinda have the same ROMs.
Plus, have you discovered a flash mode for your F??
ADB is pretty easy. Try this link, works for me everytime: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=42407269
 
P.S. If it still doesn't work, try doing a clean install of Windows XP first as it is better with all the driver business.

 

[sicko]

If you can read Japanese, there's quite a lot of stuff on here: http://ikura.2ch.net/test/read.cgi/wm/1355145689/l50

 

[DrSheep]

  If you can read Japanese, there's quite a lot of stuff on here: http://ikura.2ch.net/test/read.cgi/wm/1355145689/l50

No and blocked.

 

[sicko]

  No and blocked.

Actually the guys on there were trying to "bake" a ROM which supposedly means porting or dumping it. So they might be quite ahead of you. You could always use a proxy and try to figure out the posts using google translate.

 

[DrSheep]

The rom dump part was done as I posted before, and the compile part is technically not hard either, rather I need to setup my environment for the build.  I am thinking just start fresh and use my m11x for Ubuntu instead of Win7 and go from there.  Too bad I am moving and I don't have a lot of time for this.  Besides, why can't you just do it?  If I can figure all this out in one night, then I am sure some of you here that are actual devs can get this one out much quicker.  I just worry about Sony doing something ****ty to their builds and lock us out.  The reason being that my ADB should work but doesn't even after getting all the USB drivers.
 
p.s. technically I can do without ADB, but I will still need to setup the other stuff as mentioned in the port guild for CWM before.

 

[sicko]

  The rom dump part was done as I posted before, and the compile part is technically not hard either, rather I need to setup my environment for the build.  I am thinking just start fresh and use my m11x for Ubuntu instead of Win7 and go from there.  Too bad I am moving and I don't have a lot of time for this.  Besides, why can't you just do it?  If I can figure all this out in one night, then I am sure some of you here that are actual devs can get this one out much quicker.  I just worry about Sony doing something ****ty to their builds and lock us out.  The reason being that my ADB should work but doesn't even after getting all the USB drivers.
 
p.s. technically I can do without ADB, but I will still need to setup the other stuff as mentioned in the port guild for CWM before.

I'm not much of a dev and besides, all this ROM stuff is pretty daunting.

 

[DrSheep]

How are you going to fix your Z without the original rom dump?  Can you get another rooted Z for that?

 

[sicko]

  How are you going to fix your Z without the original rom dump?  Can you get another rooted Z for that?

I can get the dump from someone at XDA.

 

[DrSheep]

  I can get the dump from someone at XDA.

Nice.  Also, can you find out that will it make a difference if I do the partition dump individually, or I will have to somehow recombind them into a single image file?

 

[sicko]

  Nice.  Also, can you find out that will it make a difference if I do the partition dump individually, or I will have to somehow recombind them into a single image file?

I don't know much about that, but you should try posting here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1981328