[Guide] Unlocking the Mi4c Bootloader without verification by Xiaomi

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firepol

firepol

Senior Member
Mar 12, 2011
77
17
Zurich
www.pbworks.net
Critical Partition Flashing not allowed

Hi guys,

yesterday after lots of attempts to flash different roms on my brand new spare mi 4c I gave up and installed the latest official MIUI 8.3 BY XIAOMI.EU 7.5.11.

So I was thinking that so the firmware is updated and I can proceed installing e.g. lineage OS but I forgot that the bootloader could become locked. In fact it seems locked like a fortress now.

[I know, I was stupid I should have read more carefully all the threads around here, I just thought I knew what I was doing but I was wrong. Accept my humble apologies...]

If I try, in Linux, to flash (using the flash.sh command, as root user) via fastboot, or try to flash TWRP I get Critical Partition Flashing not allowed. I tried to reboot in Windows, and used miflash, same error.

In linux if I try
Code: 
sudo fastboot oem edl
, then I run
Code: 
sudo fastboot oem unlock
I get:
< waiting for device >
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

If I run
Code: 
sudo fastboot devices
I can't see my device anymore once in EDL.
If I try top flash TWRP by running:
Code: 
sudo fastboot flash recovery twrp.img
still I get:
< waiting for device >
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Any ideas what I could do?

Or is my only chance to try to unlock my phone with the official method from xiaomi?
 
N

nielvanrhyn

New member
Jul 12, 2016
2
0
None

If you do not want to go the official rout (this might take forever) you would have to use the MiFlash tool and flash an old version of MiUI (like 6.1.7) which supports the oem unlock command.
 
AndyYan

AndyYan

Recognized Contributor
Jan 30, 2012
4,939
4,807
Beijing
Just posting here to confirm that 8.2.3.0 Stable also allows rebooting to EDL via fastboot. Successfully completed all steps on top of that. @wolkenjaeger If you're still watching this thread, thanks, and update OP if necessary.
 
W

wolkenjaeger

Member
Jul 6, 2015
33
105
Erm.... I don't know. I tried it today and EDL flashing did not work (initially). I can't really test the device anymore. Someone needs to confirm the path which is explained by AndyYan. However: "fastboot oem edl" command still works. From there, maybe you have to use MiFlash, but with LOCK ALL (newest MIUI) and thereafter MIUI 6.1.7 (also with LOCK ALL).
 
R

ReiGn88

New member
Mar 14, 2017
2
1
GnatGoSplat said:
You have to unlock with the official method from Xiaomi, even with ROMs from xiaomi.eu.
No point to downgrade with MiFlash and unlock an older version, because as soon as you go to a Nougat ROM, you'll be relocked again.
They only took about 5-hours to approve my request the most recent time. Unlock requests only last 30-days, so keep in mind you have to unlock within 30-days. I had requested unlock in December and got approved, but had to get re-approved because it expired.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Why would you say there is no point using this method? First they never approved my request i sent, so i unlocked using this method, im not planning to reinstalling differnt roms i just needed to install fresh clean roms without any spyware installed by chinese vendors.
Also flashing to 6.17 only takes like 2mins(few extra mins to download), so basically:
1. you flash the 6.17 rom
2. then twrp
3. then install lineage os and gapps using twrp
4. ??????
5. Proceed to use fresh and clean mi4c
 
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G

GnatGoSplat

Senior Member
Apr 29, 2007
1,747
161

Yeah, I didn't read his post thoroughly enough, I thought he wanted unlocked BL and keep xiaomi.eu Nougat ROM. I didn't catch he wanted to get rid of the xiaomi.eu ROM for lineage ROM.
 
W

wpyh

Senior Member
Feb 21, 2011
65
25
Guys, I've successfully unlocked my mi4c in Linux. Not Windows, and certainly not with a Virtual Machine installation of Windows. I used a tool called emmcdl, so I think I'm not the first one to do this... but why is it that I didn't find ANY guide at all on how to flash a ROM in EDL under Linux? Should I write a (small) tutorial on this?
 
H

HarryCustom

Senior Member
Dec 26, 2007
206
12

I want to do that, but I do not understand if I need a Nougat bootloader to flash Lineage or is it not necessary?

Thanks! :)
 
nunogilberto

nunogilberto

Senior Member
Jan 22, 2011
119
76
+62-274
www.krishnazaki.com
Nokia 6.1 Plus (Nokia X6)
Redmi Note 8
wpyh said:
Guys, I've successfully unlocked my mi4c in Linux. Not Windows, and certainly not with a Virtual Machine installation of Windows. I used a tool called emmcdl, so I think I'm not the first one to do this... but why is it that I didn't find ANY guide at all on how to flash a ROM in EDL under Linux? Should I write a (small) tutorial on this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

yes, you should write the tutorial...
pleaseee....
 
A

Al3xxxinho

Senior Member
Jun 19, 2008
358
84
Craiova
Hi,
After unlocking the bootloader, flashing the recovery and installing lineage os, the phone is in a recovery bootloop, does not want to boot into system.
Any suggestions ?
 
Last edited:
R

ramiwi

Senior Member
Apr 13, 2011
107
13
Is it possible to install xiaomi.eu miui 9 after unlocking 6.1.7 ? (a way to keep it unlocked while updating the bootloader to nougat)?
 
asmOne

asmOne

Senior Member
Dec 18, 2009
210
16
Tokyo
www.instagram.com
Need help

My Mi 4c is not unlocked..
And it has official Android 7.0 and MUI 8.5 stable
Im enough with that Chinese rom. And I need to install a cm Rom
How can I do it.
I cant understand how to unlock bootloader and do this...
 

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W

wpyh

Senior Member
Feb 21, 2011
65
25
nunogilberto said:
yes, you should write the tutorial...
pleaseee....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

User from Yogyakarta? Nice to meet you, I'm from Bandung :D
I will write a tutorial, probably in a separate thread.

ramiwi said:
Is it possible to install xiaomi.eu miui 9 after unlocking 6.1.7 ? (a way to keep it unlocked while updating the bootloader to nougat)?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

asmOne said:
My Mi 4c is not unlocked..
And it has official Android 7.0 and MUI 8.5 stable
Im enough with that Chinese rom. And I need to install a cm Rom
How can I do it.
I cant understand how to unlock bootloader and do this...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

After you update to Nougat / 7.0 , the bootloader will be locked again, with a different bit. The lock bit used up to 5.1 can be unlocked via downgrading to 6.1.7, but the lock bit used since 7.0 can only be unlocked via the official Mi Unlock procedure.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ramiwi, nunogilberto and asmOne
asmOne

asmOne

Senior Member
Dec 18, 2009
210
16
Tokyo
www.instagram.com
I tried but it cannot downgrade.
 
F

fontaneroen

New member
Sep 16, 2017
1
0
does not rise

I can not get you the recovery.
 
H

hfmls

Senior Member
Aug 12, 2009
663
94
USA
Xiaomi Poco F6 Pro / Redmi K70
i have same issue as previous user, any help please?

---------- Post added at 22:26 ---------- Previous post was at 22:26 ----------

i am using twrp-3.1.1-1-libra

---------- Post added at 22:28 ---------- Previous post was at 22:26 ----------

ok i found the sulotion, use this version:
https://de1.androidfilehost.com/dl/...075/817550096634793208/twrp-20170817-0823.img

---------- Post added at 23:03 ---------- Previous post was at 22:28 ----------

i am trying to flash this:
http://forum.mi-globe.com/miui-globerom-changelog-f36/changelog-7-9-21-t698.html
with twrp, flash goes ok, but it boots into mi logo and won't pass.

Any help please?
 
Last edited:
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    W
    wolkenjaeger
    This evening I had the same problem like many of you and I just did not want to wait 2-3 weeks for the unlock code from Xiaomi. I went through a lot of threads and different forums to create this guide.

    Requirements
    - ADB up and running (I am an Android developer, so I have this installed already - unsure if you need specific ADB drivers for Xiaomi devices though)
    - Xiaomi MI4c ;)
    - MiFlash: http://bigota.d.miui.com/tools/MiPhone20151028.exe (via http://en.miui.com/a-234.html) - Install
    - Mi4c Image: libra_images_6.1.7_20151221.0000.11_5.1_cn_b09dac70a0.tgz - unpack until "images" directory is visible!
    - [Optional] Mi4c Fastboot Image: miui_MI4c_6.1.21_d1d054460d_5.1.zip
    - [Optional] Latest TWRP: http://xdaforums.com/mi-4c/development/libra-twrp-3-0-t3315059
    - [Optional] Latest build of CM 12.1: http://xdaforums.com/mi-4c/development/cm12-1-build-cyanogenmod-12-1-device-t3291631

    Step-by-step

    Step 1 is optional: I was not sure, if I could use the "fastboot oem edl" command in a higher version of MIUI... feedback required. Thus following is a list of known Xiaomi ROMs which support this procedure:
    If you are using one of the following ROM versions, you should be able to unlock the device easily with the provided guide. However, I have messages that the versions don't work with higher MIUI ROM versions.

    CONFIRMED WORKING
    V8.6.9.15 MIUI Dev ROM
    V8.0.16.0 MIUI Dev ROM
    V7.5.4.0
    V7.5.3.0.LXKCNDE
    V7.1.4.0.LXKCNCK
    V6.1.21 (Download link above)
    V6.3.24
    V6.3.17
    V6.4.21
    V6.4.14
    V6.5.26
    V6.8.25
    V6.9.15 (China Dev)

    Not confirmed (?)
    None

    Not working
    None

    1. (Optional) Downgrade your Mi4c by flashing any image from the list above via the "Updater" app (use top right icon to select image).
    2. Reboot into fastboot mode (Power + Vol Down) until you see the MIUI rabbit and "FASTBOOT"
    3. Command: fastboot oem edl (this brings your device in a kind of emergency recovery state) -> the device does only show a black screen. Do the next step.
    4. Use MiFlash to flash 6.1.7 image (Browse -> select the "images" directory of the 6.1.7 package and start flashing)
    5. When completed, reboot the phone by holding the Power button long (~8s)
    6. Wait until 6.1.7 is completely loaded (this may take a while)
    7. Reboot into fastboot mode (Power + Vol Down)
    8. Command: fastboot oem unlock -> at this point you should have an unlocked bootloader
    9. Now optionally install TWRP and subsequently CM 12.1 and enjoy (see respective linkes in the requirements for a howto) - TWRP: fastboot flash recovery <twrp>.img


    With this post, I want to say thank you to all the developers who take their time to port Cyanogen to exotic Android devices. You are heroes!

    In case you want to donate me something: https://paypal.me/wolkenjaeger
    View
    5
    L
    Logic_
    nhkhanh068 said:
    could i back to miui rom after installed CM rom
    Click to expand...
    Click to collapse
    Yes you can, as you see the CM is optional, you can choose any rom of your liking.

    Be warned that any of the latest official Miui roms will lock your bootloader right back and if you have TWRP in place, you will bootloop.
    Xiaomi.eu or sMiui highly recommended alternatives if you want to go with miui.

    Great step by step tutorial, worth a sticky imo since more and more people coming here will be locked in the future.
    View
    3
    O
    okidokay
    Solved my Problem from earlier (p.4)

    You can manually leave the Emergency recovery mode on the phone by pressing volume down and pwr button for an entire minute, which will put you back into fastboot mode. (feels extremely long, but works at the end)
    I then did the flashing again, using Miflash and it worked flawlessly. Don't know why it didn't work the first time.

    Maybe you should add the fact that you have to press pwr button for 8 seconds after flashing the rom with miflash, cause your tutorial makes it seem as if it would reboot itself.
    View
    3
    K
    kickassy
    So thought I'd share my experiences after my saga with unlocking the bootloader of my new mi4c tonight.

    Originally bought it a month ago, thought I'd be proactive so applied for official unlock 2 weeks ago, the confirmation sms was sent after 5 days so thought I was set for when it arrived. Received the phone in the post today so went about installing the latest china dev rom (miui_MI4c_6.6.30_5900d411cb_5.1 version: 6.6.30) from the miui website as instructed to do the unlock, but on using the windows app kept saying couldn't verify device as it thought it was on a different account to the one approved for unlock. Went on miui forums and found boatloads of others having the same issue so got a bit worried.

    To cut a long story short spent several hours unsuccessfully trying: 1. to optimise my miui account so that it would hopefully sync properly and unlock officially as per the advice of some and 2. trying to flash an older firmware (i had the latest china dev rom with the beta miui 8 at the time) so i could follow this guide but i couldnt flash anything as it wouldnt verify the package, not via the updater app or the mi suite pc app.

    so after several hours i just thought f*ck it and just just started from step 2 of this guide despite having the latest firmware and hey presto it worked a treat (nb/ if using the miflash app hit refresh and click on your device before flashing). thanks so much for finding this method
    View
    3
    T
    tuanhung303

    don't let en.MIUI rom boot after you install twrp. because it will reinstall the stock recovery over the twrp recovery. In fact, you have to go directly to twrp after flashing it, and try MIUI.eu or other CM roms.
    View

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