Develop Bugs

Installing GSI ROMs on Mi8 Pro

The below is a guide to installing GSI images on the Mi 8 Pro. I specifically have experience with the PixelExperience 9.0 (Unofficial) but have had other GSI ROMs booting and working. I hope this is useful for some.
GSI (Generic System Image) ROMS can be flashed to any Project Treble enabled device. These devices have either an A/B partition layout (these allow for seamless updating as the system can boot from A or B partition) or just an A only partition layout. The Mi 8 Pro is an arm64 a only device and support project treble ROMs. You can choose from suitable ROMs listed here and here.
The instructions given below are for Android Pie (9.0). The same basic setup can be used for Android Oreo (8.0, 8.1) ROMs, but the Mi 8 Pro should be flashed with the appropriate Xiaomi base ROM first before flashing any 8 based GSI ROM
As the ROM development for the Mi 8 Pro is basically dead, I decided to buy a OnePlus 6T and sell my Mi 8 Pro. However, due to having my new OnePlus 6T stolen, and due to a lack of funds to buy a new device, I have revived my Mi 8 Pro to try to get something other than MIUI working on it. I now have The PixelExperience (Unofficial) GSI ROM running very smoothly on my Mi 8 Pro.
As the PixelExperience team has stated they will be delivering GSI images again, if there are enough of us asking, we could get better support for things like the fingerprint sensor, for a more complete experience.
Some of the below steps may be unnecessary, but are there for a complete beginner's guide to doing this and getting the right results.
Working:
WiFi
Bluetooth (with APTX)
NFC (Including Google Pay)
RIL
Mobile data (LTE / HSPDA / 3G / EDGE)
GPS
Camera (with camera built in to ROM, as well as some GCAM implementations)
Video Camera (not working on GCAM implementations tested so far - only working on Camer built in to ROM)
Flashlight
Sound / Vibrations
Face Unlock
Hotspot
Not Working:
VoLTE (I have had it working, but unable to end phone calls and problems receiving SMS messages, so reverted)
Fingerprint (There is some support. The fingerprint area of the screen lights up when trying to enrol a new fingerprint. The screen dims when a finger is placed on the sensor, and a green light us emitted from the sensor area, but it does not register the fingerprint and this is not currently working.)
Notification LED
You Tell Me
How to install
Flash the latest Fastboot Global Stable Android PIE (9.0) ROM for the Mi 8 Pro. (eg. equuleus_global_images_V10.3.4.0.PECMIXM_20190712.0000.00_9.0_global_9a181f79c1.tgz) using the Xiaomi Tool.
Update: Use the latest MIUI system. The contents of the vendor partition are important. The most compatible vendor partition as of 2019-08-19 is from equuleus_global_V10.3.5.0.PECMIXM. You can download and flash that vendor independantly, if you have already set up your GSI image.
Reboot and finish basic MIUI setup.
Reboot to recovery.
[*]Format data (Wipe - Advanced - format data - confirm by typing yes)
DO NOT FORMAT DATA. Just perform a factory reset. Formatting data can cause issues and prevent booting.
Wipe Cache - Dalvik Cache and System
Reboot recovery
Use adb to push PixelExperience GSI image (img file extracted from download) and latest version of Magisk to root of SDCard. (Empty due to formatting data).
("adb push c:\path\system.img /sdcard/" and then "adb push c:\path\Magiskv19.3.apk /sdcard/")
Flash the image to system partition by taping INSTALL and then on the "Install Image" button (to toggle between flashing zip and img files). Do not reboot yet.
Flash magisk zip in the normal way (hit the same button as in previous step to show zip files to flash. (This is necessary to avoid bootloops)
Reboot, and enjoy.
You can now set up your "PixelExperience" device with your apps and settings, including registering a face for face unlock.
To pass cts validation for the safetynet and to allow service such as Google Pay to work
In Magisk, under settings - Find “Magisk Hide” and toggle the switch on
Magisk restarts. Go to Magisk Hide from the Magisk menu and ensure that...
Google Pay
Google Play
Google Play Services
Google Service Framework
Any Banking Apps
...are checked so that they cannot see Magisk (canont see phone as rooted).
Now go to downloads and install the SafetyPatch v3 module (created by hackintosh5).
Reboot.
Open settings - go to apps and notifications - and find the above apps to clear all data.
Enjoy your rooted safetynet compliant, as close to stock as possible Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro.

nice work thanks for this great notice, i will test PixelExperience, how work the face unlock? i use the finger print very much, all day, but not work i will use the facial unlock. Then i wanna know how work this.
thanks!!

axelgrox said:
nice work thanks for this great notice, i will test PixelExperience, how work the face unlock? i use the finger print very much, all day, but not work i will use the facial unlock. Then i wanna know how work this.
thanks!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Face unlock works fine. I have it paired with Pick to wake phone - so when I pick it up it wakes up to allow face unlock.
However, be prepared for some investment of time (not for face unlock).... I am a bit stuck now and cannot reproduce the above to get this working. Sometimes the results are different depending on base ROM etc.
Share how you get on and anything you may need to do to get this working.
Thanks

Nice work, i will try it .
The mi8 pro 's fingerprint is so bad which can be ignored, and the face unlock is the mostly used, hahahah
thank you very much for your work

Hi, I am waiting to unlock bootloader. Need 148hrs. Will install this. Thanks for sharing.

Quick update: There are some issues with GSI ROMs and the Mi 8 Pro. SOe of these relate to the SIMcard settings - and selection of preferred SIM for data, calls etc.
My experience shows that the vendor image from equuleus_global_V10.3.5.0.PECMIXM fixes many of these. The vendor image from the original MIUI ROM is used with the GSI system image to make the whole Project treble stuff work. I advise flashing this latest vendor image for maximum compatibility.

Do you know what issues remain after flashing the latest vendor image?

Does the face unlock on Pixel Experience work with IR camera or front cam?

I tried installing this and it got stuck on the loading screen with the Google logo. I tried following your instructions and a few other ways and couldn't get it to work at all i'm also not able to root my phone at all. When ever I try rooting my phone just reboots to twrp until I reflash the ram or flash the magisk uninstaller.
Do you have any tips, tricks, or suggestions I might try?
Thanks!

eremeya said:
I tried installing this and it got stuck on the loading screen with the Google logo. I tried following your instructions and a few other ways and couldn't get it to work at all i'm also not able to root my phone at all. When ever I try rooting my phone just reboots to twrp until I reflash the ram or flash the magisk uninstaller.
Do you have any tips, tricks, or suggestions I might try?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have experienced this on occasion also.
What GSI image have you tried? after my multiple efforts, I would recommend... in this order: Omni. HavocOS, Descendant(no future updates), PIxelExperience. I am hopeful about the PixelExperience team who have made an announcement that as of August they will no longer produce CAF versions of PixelExperience, and that they will maintain regular GSI builds also. PE official GSI - I am full of hope.
Anyway, back on topic: Try this.
Follow the instructions - a few precisions:
Use XiaoMiFlash to flash the equuleus_global_images_V10.3.4.0 as a base. You can update the vendor partition once you have GSI up and running, but don't let the MIUI update to 10.3.5. Ensure you define a PIN to make sure that data partition is encrypted. (everyone should use encryption nowadays, and besides, I have had bad experiences whn using a xiaomi eu or mi-globe ROM (unencrypted) as the base
Reboot and finish basic MIUI setup. - What I mean here is to let the ROM boot, don't have to sign in to Google or Mi, but get to the home screen after the initial setup.
Then reboot fastboot and flash TWRP 3.3.0. Search for TWRP-3.3.0-0504-XIAOMI8UD-CN-wzsx150.zip.
Boot to TWRP. Make sure that you are able to decrypt the data partition with the PIN you set earlier. If TWRP does not ask you for the passcode / PIN - something is wrong. Try again. ONce all is OK in TWRP, perform factory reset. (DO NOT FORMAT DATA for the aforementioned encryption reason).
adb push the img file.
adb push the Magisk 19.3 zip.
Flash both in TWRP
Reboot TWRP
Reboot system. If it appears to hang, after 5 minutes you can force restart with the power button. I have had the ROM boot OK after second boot only?
Pretty sure that if you strictly follow the above you should get a working GSI image on Mi 8 Pro. Let me know...
It's a bit flaky to set up, but once set up, apart from fingerprint sensor not working, very stable and lovely to have the stock ish android system on a MIUI phone!
Be careful with preferred network type for mobile network as some selections have messed up incoming SMS messages for me... a dealbreaker.
What happens when you flash Magisk? What does TWRP say? Have you tried flashing Magisk, rebooting TWRP, and flahing Magisk again? It may be a TWRP version issue?

Thanks for your reply!
The version of twrp you mention is what I have used. I have not tried installing then rebooting to twrp so I try that.
When flashing magisk it usually flashes fine (I have had a couple times where it just throws an error) then when I reboot the phone will boot past the Mi logo the the Android boot logo then after 10-15 sec. it just reboots to twrp.
I was finally able to get the twrp to stick across boots by flashing twrp, signing boot image, removing twrp then reboot to Miui.
Do I need to adb push the GSI image or should it be fine to install from a USB drive?
The SMS issue isn't really a big deal for me as I use Google Fi routed through hangouts for one sim and a local sim where I'm living for mostly data and a few phone calls for the second one

Thanks so much for this post. I was completely oblivious to the fact that the Mi 8 Pro would actually be different to the Mi 8 when it comes to custom roms. When I decided on my next phone, I read the positive reviews and saw enough Mi 8 roms to be willing to make a switch to Xiaomi. Until I read your post I was close to despairing as I don't want a Xiaomi rom on my phone for various reasons (among them is the fact that I don't trust them and the way they have decided to collect user data).
I've tried to follow your guide in every step (I've also flashed the updated vendor.img), but unfortunately I have not been able to install the Pixel Experience rom on my device. I do see the boot animation but it never stops, I'm forever stuck with the Google-G and the progress bar below it. Has anyone else managed to install the Pixel Experience rom on the Mi 8 Pro? If yes, did you follow the guide here or did you do something else?
Also, in your initial post you write that we should wipe the system in TWRP but as far as I can tell GSI roms need you to wipe data, cache and dalvik cache but not the system partition (if you do it, you also don't get asked for your PIN code in TWRP any more, which - as you said - indicates that something went wrong).
Did you install a particular version of the Pixel Experience rom? Maybe that might be part of my issue?

I have try many times installing it. Didn't manage to boot it up.
Finally, tested with Miroom ROM as base then flash the system.img manage to boot up.
Don't know why it didn't boot but at lease any one who have issue booting may want to try using Miroom rom as base.

tllim73 said:
I have try many times installing it. Didn't manage to boot it up.
Finally, tested with Miroom ROM as base then flash the system.img manage to boot up.
Don't know why it didn't boot but at lease any one who have issue booting may want to try using Miroom rom as base.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What did you do to install miroom? I've been trying to install it and it just stays on the boot screen. The only non-official from I've been able to install and boot is the unofficial LineageOS rom by fenix-UK.

eremeya said:
What did you do to install miroom? I've been trying to install it and it just stays on the boot screen. The only non-official from I've been able to install and boot is the unofficial LineageOS rom by fenix-UK.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I install it using twrp 3.3.0 version. Build 0503. But before that I have install the stock rom goble stable version 10.3.5.0. update FW & Vendor using the same twrp.

tllim73 said:
I install it using twrp 3.3.0 version. Build 0503. But before that I have install the stock rom goble stable version 10.3.5.0. update FW & Vendor using the same twrp.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks.
Is your phone a Chinese version or EU version? Were you able to root global stock rom?

eremeya said:
Thanks.
Is your phone a Chinese version or EU version? Were you able to root global stock rom?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, I am using a Chinese version. But once you unlock it you will be able to flash any version with the twrp.
I try rooting it with magisk but unable to boot up. That's why I turn to Miroom Rom. They have done something which can boot it up.

tllim73 said:
Hi, I am using a Chinese version. But once you unlock it you will be able to flash any version with the twrp.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm also using the Chinese version but no matter what I try I cannot root the global version of the rom. I can root the Chinese version fine.

eremeya said:
I'm also using the Chinese version but no matter what I try I cannot root the global version of the rom. I can root the Chinese version fine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Might be the developer version is only for the Chinese Rom. Anyway I am happy now running with GSI Rom.

eremeya said:
I'm also using the Chinese version but no matter what I try I cannot root the global version of the rom. I can root the Chinese version fine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What version of TWRP are you using?

Issue on reinstalling any kind of OS - brick?

Hello,
It all began that i just wanted to restart my Oneplus3 unlocked with lineage 15.
But then back in Lineage15 i wasnt able to use my pin anymore + it restarted after few seconds...
Afterwards i ended up in a lineage bootloop.
Ok, then i thought then i do a fresh flash with new lineage 16.
I tried to flash but it said i need to install new modem firmware for Lineage16.
I downdloaded the new 9.0.5 modem + firmware and flashed it from here : https://forum.xda-developers.com/oneplus-3/how-to/op3-flashable-firmware-modem-zips-t3816066
Then i tried to flash LOS16 again but it failed due to some errors on unable to mount some partitions (cache , system, etc).
So i thought i need to wipe or reformat them, as some people suggested to switch from ext4 to fat and back to reinit the partition.
I did this for at least system and internal storage. ( i learned that it was a dumb idea )
Afterwards i was not able to push anything anymore through MTP in TWRP, but i was still able to sideload or push images via adb.
Afterwards i tried to flash LOS16 or LOS15 via TWRP again but it always ends up to a "unable to mount /system (invalid argument" error at some point of the installation.
I thought: Okey maybe i go back to stock as i messed up the internal file system somehow, and go back to LOS afterwards.
So i flashed the stock recovery for nougat which i got from here: https://www.****************/2017/0...th-latest-oxygen-os-firmware-complete-unroot/
Then i tried to flash various stock Oxygen roms with the stock recovery, by using wipe + system reset + adb sideload:
4.02, 4.51, 5.08, 9.0.5
4.02 and 9.0.5 didnt run until the end.
Flashing 5.08 works but ends up in a black screen when starting it.
Flashing 4.51 works but when i start it i run into a bootloop ( 2 Dots circuling forever )
I also tried to use the 4.51 version to flash LOS again but it did not work out
I just tried again to flash 4.51 but it also didnt work out anymore. :\
So, what do you think i could do to get a working OS on my system again?
Did i do something on the installation of LOS or Oxygen ?
Can i use a backup from a friends Oneplus3_T to get a working system partition / full OS again?
Should i unbrick the phone by using one of various guides to go back to fully stock? I am kind of afraid of this, as some people describe some final brick in the threads which may be caused by modem firmware problems (Sahara issue). https://forums.oneplus.com/threads/guide-oneplus-3-3t-unbrick.531047/ or https://forums.oneplus.com/threads/guide-mega-unbrick-guide-for-a-hard-bricked-oneplus-3.452634/
Thank you so much, i kind of getting mad about it

@julledd
Backup from 3T seems like a bad idea.
You may have a hardware issue.
Your best bet is to use one of the tools available in the various unbrick guides. If one doesn't work, try another.
Best of luck!

Hi thx for your help!
i tried different unbrick tools (9.0.5 / 3.1.2 / 4.0.5) and after several attempts i get it flashed to the phone. But in the end it still ends up in a bootloop, either at the android logo or the circuling dots. Via Sideload i am also not able to flash a new OS. It always breaks somewhen >50%.
In very rare cases i am then able to go to the OS, but when i go to "About Phone" to unlock it for TWRP, it freezes before showing anything. I guess there is internally something broken which forbids it to show the internal state of the phone. Every boot is different, and i cannot see any system in this failure of my phone.
Do you have any more hint?
I am already at a point where i want to exchange the main PCB.. Is this possible for the Oneplus3? Can i also exchange it with a Oneplus3T PCB?

[Help]Meizu Note 8 Softbrick after GSI Treble flash

Hello everyone! I need some help because i'm out of ideas how to resolve the softbrick on my old phone. First i'll explain how i got it in this state:
So i have 2 meizu note 8 i don't use anymore (one with broken touch and lcd, and the other was perfectly fine), and because of boredom and covid restrictions i had the "brilliant ideea" to mess with them and update to android 10 with GSI treble roms. The original android was flyme os 7.1.6.1 EU. First i unlock the bootloader on both and installed twrp recovery. No problems so far , everything worked fine with flyme os. Then i tried to install gsi android 10 with twrp on one of the phone (the one that does not have the screen broken). I had an error with system partition not mounting , so i did a full format in twrp (cache, data, system,internal storage, boot,vendor) and then i managed to flash it. Android 10 GSI (Havoc Os) booted up but with problems : First i got a message right after boot "There's an internal problem with your device. Contact your manufacturer for details" then the config wizard crashed constantly, but i managed to finish the process and android is working (sort of ).The problem wich i called it soft brick is the fact that wifi, data sim,bluetooth, gps, sound are not working (not detected, nada....).Both IMEI are correctly recognized, but the basic functions of the phone don't work.
Having another identical phone with original firmware, i made a full twrp backup (21 partitions..with system,data,cache, modem,kernel,vendor ....everything) and restored it on the culprit. Flyme os booted up but with the exact same symtoms as with GSI 10. It seems i messed up somewhere so i reverted back to stock flyme os recovery and flashed the original software (update zip form their website). Still the same symtoms. So I went further and got the flyme os files for QPST / QFIL flash tool. Flashed it successfully with QFIL but no improvements. I suspected the modem firmware being corrupt and flashed it separately, but i just can't get it to work.
So any ideas? I have the msm partion table and trying to pull everything with adb root and adb shell from the other phone, and restore it back to the other, but got stuck somewhere....(i'm doing more research).

A short update. Apparently the persist and persistbak partitions got corrupted or formated by me (tho twrp does not have option to format persist). This partition is responsible for calibration data for all sensors and baseband. So that's why i had all these problems.
Right now i'm trying to pull those partition images form the other phone and flash them on the bricked one.

Got it resolved. Flashing persist.img partition resolved all my problems but the IMEI and baseband got deleted .So it was necessary to pull *.qcn backup file from the working phone with QFIL program, manually edit both IMEI within qcn file with HEX editor , adding the right ones, and then restore it in the bricked phone.
Now it's working as it should.
I'm writing this in case someone gets their phone soft-bricked like mine. Hope it helps. It got me 2 full days, researching and testing things out!

Hi, I got the same exact problem after doing the flashing using orangefox, all sensors and camera not working even after flashing the original global rom via Qfil. I have been looking for that persist.img file to help me fix the issue. could you please share the Persist.img file here? you will really help a brother

hi there! i have also the same problem... accidentally formatted all partitions in orangefox recovery, been going through all night in recovering my Meizu note 8 here.. i bricked it and been looking for a firmware everywhere, and now i found a flashable firmware through qspt, im getting the same problem here, i've been looking everywhere to where i can get persist image and qcn, im not sure if my emei is messed up though.. i really need ur help also... i need this phone for my game development progress

Hi! I need the flashable firmware of the Meizu Note 8 7.1.6.1G please. I can't find it anywhere.

X-NeRo-X said:
Got it resolved. Flashing persist.img partition resolved all my problems but the IMEI and baseband got deleted .So it was necessary to pull *.qcn backup file from the working phone with QFIL program, manually edit both IMEI within qcn file with HEX editor , adding the right ones, and then restore it in the bricked phone.
Now it's working as it should.
I'm writing this in case someone gets their phone soft-bricked like mine. Hope it helps. It got me 2 full days, researching and testing things out!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
can you share file with us?

[ROM][Official][Nightly] LineageOS 18.1 for OnePlus 3/3T

Hi at all, I have an issue with my oneplus 3t.. yesterday I flashed this experimental lineageos 19.1, but since it was a bit unstable I decided to go back to the one based on android 11; the problem is when I deleted all the various partitions of the phone with twrp (cache, data, system etc) and then restarting, the phone remains in bootloop on the twrp logo .. I tried to follow a guide on internet which explains you have to reinstall the original recovery of the phone via fastboot, then from there delete the phone data, and finally reinstall the twrp..
This here:
OnePlus Community
Introducing our new OnePlus Community experience, with a completely revamped structure, built from the ground-up.
forums.oneplus.com
I tried, but when I reboot the phone to the original recovery, it is not showing it and immediately brings me back to fastboot mode,..I decided so to reinstall the twrp (also an outdated version, after I tried with the updated version) but it stucks again in bootloop on the logo ..what can I do? if the only solution is to reinstall the stock system, can someone send tell me how to reinstall it, with all the links too? the phone currently does not have anything installed, as I have wiped all internal memory and the system .. thanks in advance

HELP!!! PE 13+ ROM. TWRP Error: Unable to mount /data. Internal storage (0MB) REDMI NOTE 8 (ginkgo)

First of all I have to say I'm a newbie to all this android world.
Yesterday i finally decided to root and unlock mi redmi after some years of use, at the first try installing the PE 13+ ROM i've got stucked into the google logo and the phone didn't pass from there. After reading several forums, I came to the conclussion that it could be caused due to the version of twrp not beign the latest one, so i installed the newest one, wiped and re flashed the PE 13+.
Then came the second problem, the ROM started well and worked but the phone could not detect the SIM card nor the wifi, so i flashed the ginkgo ROM with the official mi flash tool to restart the process from the beginning. After wiping and installing again the PE+ the wifi and SIM card problem solved, but now twrp gives the Error: Unable to mount /data, wich as I read seems to be very common.
Tried a bunch of different things i've read in this and other forums (restoring data with twrp, erasing userdata with fastboot, mounting data, etc.) And nothing.
Until i found out formating data, and then (in advanced wipe) wiping Dalvik/ART Cache, System, Data, Internal Storage and Cache did fix it.
Need to mention that i only could do the advance wipe after the format data otherwise it would give error.
Now I've installed again the PE 13+ set up the phone and came back again to the recovery to find out the twrp error: Unable to mount /data and the Internal storage showing 0MB respawned.
I'm kinda desperate right now, been tryng to solve it for a lot of hours but i can't. I don't know if it's just a thing of the Recovery/ROM that needs to get uptated to pass the android/google secrity mesures or if I just screwed up at some point. Also, as a newbie, i might have skipped important details in the explanation without realising, don't bother asking for them if needed.
Thanks in advice!

tumtumpak said:
PE 13+
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
do a quick tour in the forum and learn from people experiance with this rom
tumtumpak said:
Thanks in advice!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
cant boot into custom recovery
I have the xiaomi redmi note 8 global version (4gb/64gb) with miui 12 and adroid 11. I have unlocked it and now i wanted to install twrp on it, but I can't. I 've tried the newest version (3.6), but also older ones and orangebox too. Some don't...
forum.xda-developers.com
Installing Magisk on Redmi Note 8T (Willow) with Lineage OS and recovery
I am trying to get Magisk to work on my Xiaomi Redmi Note 8T with Lineage OS, but the step where I am patching the boot.img is failing. I am using LOS recovery, and I followed the instructions provided by topjohnwu [1]: because the 8T doesn't...
forum.xda-developers.com

Loopypalm you legend,
Have you got any suggestions on the latest generation of roms above A10 (Android 10) for Redmi Note 8 <ginkgo>?
Just want basics to work like camera, without too much tweaking.
What about this GSI path that some recommended? What do you say about that?