Hi everyone,
I was recently given a Xiaomi Mi 8 which is now blocked in a boot loop, because Xiaomi apparently thought it was good engineering to give people tools that make flashing easy, but are rigged with a deadly "clean all and lock" option ON BY DEFAULT. Please allow me to sum things up.
HISTORY:
My mom had a Xiaomi Mi 8, bought a newer phone for some reason.
She had a reseller fix/clean the Mi 8 and gave it to me as a present; all in excellent shape.
My wife's phone sucked more than mine, so I migrated her number/data/etc to the Mi 8 for her to use.
Everything seemed fine, I let the system update to MIUI 12 (don't know which one was installed before).
Only then did we notice: no sound coming out from the ear speaker... Dunno if it worked before MIUI 12. My mom never had a problem with it before.
After looking it up online, I saw sometimes system updates did screw up parts of the phone for no reason.
I downloaded Mi Flash Tool + global MIUI 11 rom, hoping to downgrade and see if it fixes the ear speaker.
Bootloader was already unlocked, downgrading is apparently officially authorized, so... I flashed the phone!
After installing and rebooting, it got stuck in "This MIUI version can't be installed on this device".
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TECHNICAL:
Phone: Xiaomi Mi 8, second hand, no idea what the original region was.
OS: MIUI 11, downgraded from MIUI 12.
ROM: dipper_global_images_V11.0.5.0.QEAMIXM_20200706.0000.00_10.0_global
Bootloader: previously unlocked, now locked because Mi Flash Tool was set on "clean all and lock" and I didn't know better.
Connections: USB OK, fastboot/sideload OK, EDL OK
Mi account: didn't have one, I do now, couldn't link it to the phone though.
After lots of research, tests, hopes and disillusionments, I'm still stuck and can't flash anything into it, can't recover anything, can't move on. I did many attempts in EDL mode (opening the phone allowed me to notice it had been opened before, I guess by the repair shop my mom took it to). I'm appalled that Xiaomi let people flash their phone with official tools so easily, yet fail to warn us VISIBLY that 1) your phone may be from a different region without you knowing it; 2) you aren't allowed to flash a Global rom on a China rom; 3) the default option in Mi Flash Tool is to lock your bootloader after flashing, which is THE reason why your phone may end up locked by mistake.
I got my hand on various versions of Mi Flash Tool (latest, 2018, beta), Mi Flash Unlock (early, recent), Qualcomm drivers, Miracle Box Thunder Edition 2.82, XiaomiToolV2, and of course Minimal ADB & Fastboot. EDL is a no-brainer now, plugging the battery out/in, pressing VOL- and Power too... I tried to flash a Chinese Developer Fastboot rom, I tried firehose patchs, nothing ever worked. Apparently I'm now out of luck, being stuck in a bootloop with a MIUI version that wasn't meant for my phone, with a bootloader that's been locked again, without a linked account to unlock it. And no, I don't wanna drive to a Xiaomi shop, I don't wanna pay a stranger to unlock my account with Teamviewer – basically my mom gave us that MI 8 so that we would not have to pay anything. Otherwise I would've paid to replace the battery of my wife's Samsung A5 2016 and we would've been fine.
Could anyone knowledgeable enough tell me if there's another way to fix that phone, or if it's definitely stuck and I should sell it for parts? Thanks for reading.
Come on... Anyone?
Also, could booting TWRP on my phone help in any way?
Or maybe a Qualcomm vulnerability, like the one used by Project Renegade?
Related
Seems like Android Pay does not recognise the latest system update as an official ROM, after installing Android pay and giving all the permissions:
Android Pay can't be used on this device. This may be because your device is rooted, has an unlocked bootloader, or is running a custom ROM. As a result, Google can't confirm that your device meets Android Pay's security standards.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I inadvertently ran this update after purchasing the phone 2 days ago, didn't unlock the bootloader (though applied for it) and of course, haven't rooted.
I factory reset twice and still got the same. Looking forward to unlocking the bootloader so I can downgrade to the older ROM or even go on the global one (since I saw in another thread Android Pay's working on the latest global ROM V8.2.1.0.MAHMIDL, and the latest downloadable Chinese stable Rom V8.2.2.0.MAHCNDL)
Anyone updated and experience the same issue? And as I'm a newb in all of this, must I unlock the bootloader in order to downgrade?
Tried to get it to work, this time through using recovery flash (without need to unlock the bootloader and what not). Here's how I finally got Android Pay to work, and also got myself on Global Rom (lovin' it)
Prerequisite: Download the latest stable ROM file here to PC
1. Download the Chinese version of the Xiaomi Mi PC Suite and run it
2. Plug in your phone to PC and boot into recovery mode (push both volume up button + power button together until your phone reboots)
3. Allow driver to install, if you're in recovery mode, a prompt will come up. If not don't panic, read step 4. Otherwise go to Step 5.
4. If the PC Suite does nothing even if you push the big orange button on the right to connect (apparently they haven't upgraded the software to support Android 6.0 yet -_-"), click this button show below
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"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
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and select the button with the words "Recovery" in it, it will prompt you to reboot your phone into recovery mode (push both volume up button + power button together until your phone reboots).
5. Select the ROM you pre-downloaded on your PC and let it run.
6. The PC Suite will look like it hits some error and on desktop the progress remains at 0% but somehow things are churning on your phone as you can see "MIUI update" and a progress bar below.
7. Let it run its course and allow the phone to reboot
8. Voilà, your phone is now in Global ROM
And Android Pay now works, hoorah!!!
Great guide, thanks a lot! I've got the sister phone to this one, the Xiaomi Mi Note 2... and my Android pay was not working with 8.3.2 global.. But now it is.. I will post a guide elsewhere as to how I had to fix it...
THIS is a DANGEROUS post, it may work - or like in my case it will start for just a moment then stop [causing a factory reset to occur] without updating. Make sure you have your mi account login and pass ready when it comes back up - or your locked out of the device setup.
Due to frustration caused by trying this post I ended up unlocking / rooting the device. It was easier than I thought it would be, flashed global fine from there and updated to 8.2.4.0 just fine OTA. Have gone on too work on other things I had decided not to due because I hadn't decided to root the device. So I guess there was a silver lining to this.
Hi everyone, my cell phone works normally, but when i put to recharge the battery my phone was brick. The Edl mode doesn´t works and when i put to fastboot mode to flash the official rom i get that message "Critical Partition Flashing is not allowed". My cellphone is unlocked with twrp and i have the pixel experience installed. I try install the twrp again but nothing happens, i try install the official rom and i get that message Critical Partition Flashing is not allowed, some can help if i have a chance to put to work again? Anyway, thanx :good:
make backup of everything and then make clean flash with formatting internal storage. try different rom if possible.
metelhammer said:
make backup of everything and then make clean flash with formatting internal storage. try different rom if possible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi matey, how u doing?
I don´t have acess on twrp, i´m trying isntall again but i get error like the locked again. When i run the program of xiaomi to check if the cellphone still unlocked, seems is lock again. I don´t know how this happens, maybe when i put the official rom of santoni to try install again, i try use the clip to edl mode work but nothing happen, i put fastboot mode on but still with that message.
Andinho-system said:
Hi matey, how u doing?
I don´t have acess on twrp, i´m trying isntall again but i get error like the locked again. When i run the program of xiaomi to check if the cellphone still unlocked, seems is lock again. I don´t know how this happens, maybe when i put the official rom of santoni to try install again, i try use the clip to edl mode work but nothing happen, i put fastboot mode on but still with that message.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I doing great, The phone shouldn't have been locked itself on pixel experience, since only way to lock it is on official global/china MIUI rom.
try downloading different version of mi flash tools (maybe a older one) download latest fastboot rom again and try flashing it again.
here it is video for reference https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1jHh4MnXs0
you may need to connect edl points.
metelhammer said:
I doing great, The phone shouldn't have been locked itself on pixel experience, since only way to lock it is on official global/china MIUI rom.
try downloading different version of mi flash tools (maybe a older one) download latest fastboot rom again and try flashing it again.
here it is video for reference https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1jHh4MnXs0
you may need to connect edl points.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I put my cellphone yesterday on garbage, weeks trying, geting stress a lot with that... But i don´t was try what u post here matey, i believe can really helps. I´ll buy another Xiaomi Redmi 4x, i´m checking it out on shop and see models above the redmi4x but with the same storage 32gb, hardware and memory ram too, but more expensive u know. I like this model Redmi 4x and i will keep for a long time.
Anyway, thanx a lot. God bless u
Andinho-system said:
I put my cellphone yesterday on garbage, weeks trying, geting stress a lot with that... But i don´t was try what u post here matey, i believe can really helps. I´ll buy another Xiaomi Redmi 4x, i´m checking it out on shop and see models above the redmi4x but with the same storage 32gb, hardware and memory ram too, but more expensive u know. I like this model Redmi 4x and i will keep for a long time.
Anyway, thanx a lot. God bless u
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you still have your device then put your device in fastboot mode and then flash the fastboot rom by following video via mi flash tools.
Critical Partition Flashing is not allowed on Xiaomi Redmi 5 help me, when i want to flah
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Hi everyone. I recently got my Mi 11 Ultra with Chinese ROM (I'm guessing, from settings I can see MiUI 12.5.2.0). I'd like to change to latest version of MIUI global ROM. What would be the safest way to do so? I'd like to backup everything first before doing so (I haven't done this before) just in case something goes wrong. Also is there any up to date guide on how to do so? I did notice few posts related to that but I'm not sure if they are up to date. Best regards.
You must have an unlocked bootloader.
You need to upload the tgz file with the rom. You will do it through Miflash. Just remember to select the clean all option in Miflash. Don't block the bootloader.
As for the backup, you better not do it depending on what you want to restore. The copy from the Chinese version of the rom can not work well in the global version.
Copy your important stuff on PC then back to your Global Rom phone.
Bartos81 said:
You must have an unlocked bootloader.
You need to upload the tgz file with the rom. You will do it through Miflash. Just remember to select the clean all option in Miflash. Don't block the bootloader.
As for the backup, you better not do it depending on what you want to restore. The copy from the Chinese version of the rom can not work well in the global version.
Copy your important stuff on PC then back to your Global Rom phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for a quick response, so mi flash is on this location right (https://www.xiaomiflash.com/)? And for the roms is it safe to use them from this link (https://c.mi.com/global/miuidownload/index). Any other advice just so I don't end up with a dead phone? Also do I unlock bootloader also via MiFlash?
I recommend this version of miflash
https://www.xiaomiflash.com/downloads/MiFlash20180528.zip
Also watch carefully the movie
fastboot files for miflash
Xiaomi Firmware Updater
The ultimate script that provides firmware packages for Xiaomi devices.
xiaomifirmwareupdater.com
in the rom file you will have to delete the ARB line
as for unlocking the bootloader, the Xiaomi website is for this.
Apply for unlocking Mi devices
en.miui.com
I have uploaded global 10 times, and there were no problems at all.
Bartos81 said:
I recommend this version of miflash
https://www.xiaomiflash.com/downloads/MiFlash20180528.zip
Also watch carefully the movie
fastboot files for miflash
Xiaomi Firmware Updater
The ultimate script that provides firmware packages for Xiaomi devices.
xiaomifirmwareupdater.com
in the rom file you will have to delete the ARB line
as for unlocking the bootloader, the Xiaomi website is for this.
Apply for unlocking Mi devices
en.miui.com
I have uploaded global 10 times, and there were no problems at all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've tried using this miflash link but it was password protected so I get latest version. I did follow the guide and one of other videos from same author for unlocking. I got to this error
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"lightbox_download": "Download",
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"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
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I'm not sure should I wait now or what . I did try logging in via same number on my browser and on utility and on phone, and also ID of account is the same and I can see phone number as recovery option and my ultra under device. Got no idea why phone number wouldn't be associated. One thing I can see when I turn on my phone is SMS service can't be activated, and also find my phone seems to be available only in China (seen a post somewhere that it needs to be turned on). MiUnlock seems to show option to add account and device everytime I enter it
First you need to unlock the bootloader. To do this, you must correctly add the Mi account to the phone and wait for 2 - 3 weeks
Bartos81 said:
First you need to unlock the bootloader. To do this, you must correctly add the Mi account to the phone and wait for 2 - 3 weeks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup that's what I tried but I can't even get to the period of 168h. Probably since SIM seems to not be activated. Even though I can send and receive SMS normally
Ok, managed to get it working, I've deleted my old account and created a new one directly from phone and got to the timer
I can now normally use my phone for that period of time?
jarac2 said:
Ok, managed to get it working, I've deleted my old account and created a new one directly from phone and got to the timer
View attachment 5486783
I can now normally use my phone for that period of time?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes. You can normally use it. Just not able to unlock the Bootloader and because of that no root / Magisk and stuff. But you can still debloat with ADB if you want.
Hi guys,
I hope you are all well.
Finally tomorrow I will be able to unlock the BT of my Mi 11.
I would like to flash the EEA Rom without any other customization. The phone is currently on MIUI 12.5.7 CN Rom, I did not update it on purpose.
Shall I just unlock the bootloader and flash the fastboot venus_eea_global_images_V12.5.9.0.RKBEUXM_20211214.0000.00_11.0_eea_dc91966e19 with Mi Flash?
12.5.9 over 12.5.7 will be alright?
My understanding is that I should keep widevine L1 but safetynet will be a fail?
Thank you all for your help.
P.S.
Checking the unlock status after requesting BT unlock did not reset the counter for me, I kept checking every day
Above all, be careful to NEVER reloack your CN Venus Mi 11 with a another branch rom (EEA / Global), if not you will brick your device.
So be careful to Mi Flash, because by default option "clean & lock" is always selected by default.
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I advise to install Stable Xiaomi.eu from here, more safe, you have less risk to brick your device because a **** OTA (MIUI 13 is knowed for that)
Pho3nX said:
Above all, be careful to NEVER reloack your CN Venus Mi 11 with a another branch rom (EEA / Global), if not you will brick your device.
So be careful to Mi Flash, because by default option "clean & lock" is always selected by default.
View attachment 5550211
I advise to install Stable Xiaomi.eu from here, more safe, you have less risk to brick your device because a **** OTA (MIUI 13 is knowed for that)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you.
Yes I ll leave the bootloader unkocked...but I ll flash the eea rom, I m looking for a stock experience as much as possible.
If it bricks the phone I ll fix it and sell it afterwards, I m already stressed AF in this period, cannot be stressed about the phone too! I ll buy a Pixel maybe, not a lot of choices in europe actually...
Dorian. said:
Thank you.
Yes I ll leave the bootloader unkocked...but I ll flash the eea rom, I m looking for a stock experience as much as possible.
If it bricks the phone I ll fix it and sell it afterwards, I m already stressed AF in this period, cannot be stressed about the phone too! I ll buy a Pixel maybe, not a lot of choices in europe actually...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I really recommend you to use miui 13 Xiaomi.eu Stable or miui 13 global/EEA. Android 12 update really make this device ui smooth without any noticeable frame drops. Xiaomi.eu is basically a CN ROM with all the global languages. Have both google dialer, messages and Xiaomi dialer and messages. You can find a fastboot version that I made of miui 13 global/EEA here https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/...-global-eea-stable-and-miui-13-china.4381953/. It is very easy to install, just one click on "windows_fastboot_first_install_with_data_format.bat" file and wait for the phone to restart.(will wipe your internal storage) You do not need Mi flash for this, and thus can not lock your bootloader accidentally.
Hi guys,
just to follow up on this.
unlocked the bootloader today, after unlocking the phone got stuck on the Miui logo...
so I ve rebooted in Fastboot mode and flashed the EEA 12.5.9 rom with MiFlash.
All went good apparently but in the end it completed with an error (mentioning a checkpoint)
booted, factory reset, started phone setup.
All good and as expected, widevine 1, Safetynet fail, my banking apps are working..only issue is Netflix from Googleplay not available, I ll try to sideload it later on.
Everything seems good enough,waiting for Miui13 OTA.
Thank you all again for your help
Dorian. said:
Hi guys,
just to follow up on this.
unlocked the bootloader today, after unlocking the phone got stuck on the Miui logo...
so I ve rebooted in Fastboot mode and flashed the EEA 12.5.9 rom with MiFlash.
All went good apparently but in the end it completed with an error (mentioning a checkpoint)
booted, factory reset, started phone setup.
All good and as expected, widevine 1, Safetynet fail, my banking apps are working..only issue is Netflix from Googleplay not available, I ll try to sideload it later on.
Everything seems good enough,waiting for Miui13 OTA.
Thank you all again for your help
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am using 12.5.9 EEA. Came from phone with Global ROM, so I did exactly what you did - unlocked bootloader, then used miflash to do the EEA flash.
I can tell you it is normal to see the error at end of flash when you pick the "erase but don't lock" option. If you look at the .bat file for this option, the end of the batch file references something that doesn't exist, causing the error. Xiaomi folks screwed something up there, and actually it has been like that since the Mi 9 days (I used to own a Mi 9). So nothing to worry about.
seemebreakthis said:
I am using 12.5.9 EEA. Came from phone with Global ROM, so I did exactly what you did - unlocked bootloader, then used miflash to do the EEA flash.
I can tell you it is normal to see the error at end of flash when you pick the "erase but don't lock" option. If you look at the .bat file for this option, the end of the batch file references something that doesn't exist, causing the error. Xiaomi folks screwed something up there, and actually it has been like that since the Mi 9 days (I used to own a Mi 9). So nothing to worry about.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, just to report I got Miui 13 OTA by changing region from ireland to Italy. I did the update, all good, works well
I have a camellia device, I tried to use a custom rom(pixel experience) the other day and some time later I wanted to revert back to stock rom.
I mistakenly flashed "camellian" rom instead of "camellia" rom through PE recovery.
Since then the device kept bootlooping.
So while troubleshooting, I tried to use the Sp flash tool.
For the roms I get them from "mifirm.net". I downloaded all the necessary drivers that I can find.
But the first version of SP flash tool, Sp flash tool v6,
the app asks for the "download-XML" file which I can't find ( screenshot in pic1).
{
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"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
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"lightbox_share": "Share",
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}
So I downloaded another version.
In this version though, the app doesn't recognize the xml file and gives the error
"5011; the scatter file has incorrect format! Please ask for help!"
I googled the reason why it gives me the error but the fix that people are giving didn't seem to fix this particular case. (pic 5,6,7).
.
.
.
I can't find any other fixes so I gave up on Sp flash tool.
I tried to use "mi flash tool" this time with Global rom.
Again, wrongly I flashed it with the Qualcomm settings a bunch of times and also got the bootloader locked. But the flash got successful somehow?
(I can't provide any pics because I am making this thread now after I've sent the phone to the Xiaomi service and I didn't take screenshots before sent it)
At this point I noticed that the stock recovery is back into the device.
Anyway, I used some 'shady' workarounds to get it unlocked again and when it was unlocked the phone said something like "your device is corrupt and can't be trusted".
It went away when I flash the stock rom with Mi flash tool again. ( I still used the Qualcomm settings)
When it's done it's still bootlooping but at least the "your device is corrupt and can't be trusted" message is gone.
I tried again a couple of times with different versions of roms; miui 12, 13, 14, global, china, india.
It was after that I discovered that there is "MTK" option in Mi flash tool.
I selected the "scatter, auth, and DA" files in it. But there seem to not have the "refresh" buttom to detect the device. I tried plugging into it with Fastboot mode and again while pressing volume down, up, and all buttons. Nothing showed up. (pic.8)
So what do you guys think? Do you have answers to any of the problems that I got during this journey? Please share your thoughts because there is no answers of a lot of my questions when I was trying to google it. I could not even use reddit because as you know, that site is under strike and apparently dead for the moment. I would love to know what experienced people have to say about this post. ^_^