So I had that old and broken Sony #Z3c… This is an #interlude to becoming a #WhatsApp user.

I needed a phone with stock rom to install WhatsApp on it. Switching on and off all my old phones I found a Z3 compact - touchscreen without touch working.

I remembered that those supported USB OTG already and looked for an adaptor cable. Nope, not around anymore. Looking for informations I found that in an OTG cable one pin is is shorted to GND.

The first usb micro connector I cut open turned out to be 4 pins only (at least where the cable connects). The second one had two pins on one side and three on the other - perfect.

I spliced an OTG cable made of two old USB cables and tried it: worked, didn't work, worked, didn't work. With some fiddling I found the place where it shorted.

Having OTG working I connected a wireless USB keyboard/mouse receiver and went successfully through the initial configuration. New life to old device .

Note to myself:

When I want to start my Sony #z3c installed with #CarbonROM in #recovery mode I need to to switch it off, disconnect usb and then push and hold volume-down and power together until I see #twrp starting.

remember:

• disconnect usb
• shutdown / switch-off the phone
• press and hold volume-down and power button …
• …until you see twrp booting

Don't try adb, don't try rebooting from CarbonROM into twrp - you didn't get it to work the last time you tried