[GUIDE] Getting started - Unlock->TWRP->root->OTA updates

Xcelsior · Jun 19, 2018

As there seems to be no such guide yet and it took me quite a while to get all this information together, I thought of giving back something by putting information together for others to start.
This guide is meant for the CLT-L29 (dual SIM). Rebranding and switching your CLT-L09 (single SIM) to dual is not subject of this guide and is not adviced.

This is for a Huawei P20 Pro CLT-L29 with factory reset. Please bear with me if there really is a step missing as I try to reproduce this for the documentation with an already bootloader unlocked and previously rooted phone (root should be gone after [factory] resetting via eRecovery).
A collection of all tools used can be found here.
As always, you are doing this on your own risk, no one else can be held responsible for this.

Cheat sheet

Unlock your bootloader

Flash TWRP

Make a backup!!!

Root the stock ROM

Install an OTA (Over The Air) stock update
PC method

Standalone method

Deprecated/wrong method based on this guide.

Read first!!!
While this method should do no harm it will only ever update to CLT-L29 8.1.0.128a(C432) [hw/eu] as this is what is inside the file "update.zip" that you can currently download and that gets installed by "HuRUpdater_0.3.zip" in the same folder. This was not clearly explained in the source thread, therefore sorry about this wrong information. If you intend to update to this stock ROM continue, otherwise use the "PC method".

I will check about the best way to install OTA updates without PC interaction in the next couple of days (currently waiting for 130+ getting rolled out for me for some investigations regarding the OTA process).

First make sure no OTA update gets installed automatically as this will end up in booting into TWRP and failing with the update.
- Go to "Settings > System > System Update".
- Open the three dots menu on the top right and select "Update Settings".
- Disable automatic update download via WiFi as once updates are downloaded the phone will bug you to update and maybe tries to update itself during the night!
Place the following files into a folder on the internal storage (for sure not all are required but this is part of the little information not clear right now):
- "HuRUpdater_0.3.zip"
- "recovery.img"
- "update.zip"
- "update_all_hw.zip"
- "update_data_public.zip"
Go to "Settings > System > System Update" and check for an update.
Download the OTA update.
Do not reboot when prompted.
Make sure no lock screen or other locking is set:
- "Settings > Security": Remove fingerprint, face or password locking, simply set to none.
- Enter developer mode, should already been done for unlocking the bootloader.
- Setting > System > Developer options: Disable the display lock.
Power down the phone.
Boot into TWRP.
Install "HuRUpdater_0.3.zip". Do not get irritated if it tells you it is for CLT-L09 instead of CLT-L29, everything is fine.
Wipe dalvik cache before rebooting.
Reboot back into Android.
Check "Magisk Manager" to see if root got removed. TWRP might get removed as well. If TWRP or root got removed, repeat the install for one or both like before.
In my case only root got removed but TWRP was kept functional. If this is the case for you as well, simply flash "Magisk-v16.4-Beta.zip" via TWRP again.

Changelog

maddoguk · Jun 19, 2018

Great post. Thank you

doromax · Jun 19, 2018

Very good post!
Thank you to collect all this important info!
[emoji481]

P20 Pro & Tapatalk

Barcovn · Jun 19, 2018

can i use your step above to rebranding from L29c636 to l29c432? Thanks

Xcelsior · Jun 19, 2018

Barcovn said:
can i use your step above to rebranding from L29c636 to l29c432? Thanks

Not sure, not tested and not topic of this thread.

For my understanding, why do you want to rebrand it to C432 which is the region code as far as I understand.
Is there a BIG benefit of getting OTA updates earlier or why do you want to mess around with it ?

Barcovn · Jun 19, 2018

Xcelsior said:
Not sure, not tested and not topic of this thread.

For my understanding, why do you want to rebrand it to C432 which is the region code as far as I understand.
Is there a BIG benefit of getting OTA updates earlier or why do you want to mess around with it ?

yes, i mean change the region code. as i use the p20 pro since April, newer firmware ususal fix/improve performance for phone or camera. however it seem the c636 update is much slower then C432. currently i have problem with facebook lagging which inhope newer firmware fix it

matt4321 · Jun 19, 2018

This is good! I'll sticky it when I get a chance later tonight. I'm mobile atm

dlads · Jun 19, 2018

Maybe I'm missing something.

https://xdaforums.com/huawei-p20-pro/how-to/guide-how-to-root-debrand-remove-retail-t3788326

It's been here for some time.

Nothing wrong with your guide it's decent but the info provided is actually already here mate.

Root, twrp, de-brand, OTA, it's all there

matt4321 · Jun 19, 2018

dladz said:
Maybe I'm missing something.

https://xdaforums.com/huawei-p20-pro/how-to/guide-how-to-root-debrand-remove-retail-t3788326

It's been here for some time.

Nothing wrong with your guide it's decent but the info provided is actually already here mate.

Root, twrp, de-brand, OTA, it's all there

They're a bit different. The debrand thread is obviously good but much more specific to debranding. This is a more generic for general How-To's

Xcelsior · Jun 19, 2018

dladz said:
Maybe I'm missing something.

https://xdaforums.com/huawei-p20-pro/how-to/guide-how-to-root-debrand-remove-retail-t3788326

It's been here for some time.

Nothing wrong with your guide it's decent but the info provided is actually already here mate.

Root, twrp, de-brand, OTA, it's all there

I was reading this one as well but like matt4321 already said, it is actually for a different purpose.

And even the "ROOT ONLY" instructions are either widespread over the whole P20 Pro forum, incomplete or even outdated:

Linking to other threads with endless, partly revised instructions (on page n of the thread).
Referring to wrong official TWRP that can not use internal storage.
Hard to understand for beginners on this device (not even talking about someone who is entirely new to all of this).
Missing steps or expecting that you have already successfully flashed your first ROM (talking about advanced things like rebranding).

Don't get me wong, I am used to read a lot when it comes to custom ROMs (if you check the old part of my signature you can see that I am not actually a newbie here and my roots actually reach back to when all of the Android stuff startet at all, back when XDAs flashed HTC HD2 WinMo to Android). However I really missed a guide that actually collects all the basic information for beginners without going off roads too early.

mangusZen · Jun 20, 2018

These are more or less the steps I'm used to when I owned my nexus phones.
I have some questions:

If I root my phone and install, let's say adaway, will I be able to receive OTA? Or I will have to flash a new image manually?

If after root I relock bootloader, will I be able to unlock it again later for further modding?

This method implies that I can return to stock anytime and relock bootloader?

Thanks for the guide and answers , great job

Xcelsior · Jun 20, 2018

mangusZen said:
If I root my phone and install, let's say adaway, will I be able to receive OTA? Or I will have to flash a new image manually?

Yes, exactly what I am doing. I need root for some apps and besides that I am happy with the stock OTA ROM, at least for the moment. OTA updates work fine so far.
The only thing as explained in my guide is that OTA updates will fail as they boot into TWRP instead of original fastboot. Therefore you need to explicitly boot into TWRP and install the downloaded OTA update with "HuRUpdater_0.3.zip".

mangusZen said:
If after root I relock bootloader, will I be able to unlock it again later for further modding?

From what I have read so far re-locking your bootloader is not advised. You seem to be unable to unlock it again or at least need to request another unlock code from Huawei.
At least this is my understanding of the situation so far.

mangusZen said:
This method implies that I can return to stock anytime and relock bootloader?

Returning to stock is even easier if you keep eRecovery working as explained in the guide (flashing TWRP only to recovery_ramdisk partition). With eRecovery you can wipe TWRP and root and let eRecovery download and install the latest official stock ROM.
Regarding the bootloader re-locking, see my answer above.

mangusZen · Jun 20, 2018

Xcelsior said:
Yes, exactly what I am doing. I need root for some apps and besides that I am happy with the stock OTA ROM, at least for the moment. OTA updates work fine so far.
The only thing as explained in my guide is that OTA updates will fail as they boot into TWRP instead of original fastboot. Therefore you need to explicitly boot into TWRP and install the downloaded OTA update with "HuRUpdater_0.3.zip".

From what I have read so far re-locking your bootloader is not advised. You seem to be unable to unlock it again or at least need to request another unlock code from Huawei.
At least this is my understanding of the situation so far.

Returning to stock is even easier if you keep eRecovery working as explained in the guide (flashing TWRP only to recovery_ramdisk partition). With eRecovery you can wipe TWRP and root and let eRecovery download and install the latest official stock ROM.
Regarding the bootloader re-locking, see my answer above.

Ok, so to install OTA I have to use hurupdater method and flash the OTA package manually.

For what I read and understood, but I may be wrong, the problem with relocking bootloader is encountered by who used the funkyhuawei method, that alters bootloader in some way, especially to achive the mono sim - dual sim switch.
With this you cant for now re unlock the bootloader again.
But I could be wrong and be like that for everyone, will see if someone will come up with some clarifications.
It would be nice to have the ability to return to stock, lock bootloader and use warranty
[emoji14]

Thanks for your work and answers

Xcelsior · Jun 20, 2018

mangusZen said:
Ok, so to install OTA I have to use hurupdater method and flash the OTA package manually.

Yes, that is basically what "HuRUpdater_0.3.zip" will do, it will flash/install an OTA update that has previously been downloaded.
Wipe cache afterwards and be happy with your new up to date stock ROM version.

mangusZen · Jun 20, 2018

Xcelsior said:
Yes, that is basically what "HuRUpdater_0.3.zip" will do, it will flash/install an OTA update that has previously been downloaded.
Wipe cache afterwards and be happy with your new up to date stock ROM version.

I have to rename the downloaded OTA packages for huru to work, right?

Xcelsior · Jun 20, 2018

mangusZen said:
I have to rename the downloaded OTA packages for huru to work, right?

Not for me. Just downloaded the OTA update via the EMUI system menu in Android, rebooted into TWRP and installed (aka executed) HuRu.
HuRu did the rest for me.

Tested with 120 -> 128 OTA update.

Amowiel · Jun 20, 2018

Hi It is late at night and I am not sure if I typed fastboot flash recovery twrp_clt_0.1.img instead off fastboot flash recovery_ramdisk twrp_clt_0.1.img. How can I make sure I still have erecovery? super newbie to android rooting, please help

Thank you

Xcelsior · Jun 20, 2018

Amowiel said:
Hi It is late at night and I am not sure if I typed fastboot flash recovery twrp_clt_0.1.img instead off fastboot flash recovery_ramdisk twrp_clt_0.1.img. How can I make sure I still have erecovery? super newbie to android rooting, please help Thank you

Simplest way would be to try to boot into eRocovery:

Power off the phone.
Power on the phone until you see the "you are a baddy because you unlocked your bootloader" screen.
Hold volume up (you can already hold it when powering on the phone) until you end up in eRecovery or TWRP.

If you end up in TWRP it should still be possible to recover your eRecovery with a proper backup of the "recovery" partition from any other P20 Pro.

Amowiel · Jun 20, 2018

Xcelsior said:
Simplest way would be to try to boot into eRocovery:

Power off the phone.

Power on the phone until you see the "you are a baddy because you unlocked your bootloader" screen.

Hold volume up (you can already hold it when powering on the phone) until you end up in eRecovery or TWRP.

If you end up in TWRP it should still be possible to recover your eRecovery with a proper backup of the "recovery" partition from any other P20 Pro.

thank you so much for such a quick reply, can confirm that my brain was not so fried and I didn't wipe my ercovery

thank you for your amazing guide, everything worked perfectly

dlads · Jun 20, 2018

mangusZen said:
Ok, so to install OTA I have to use hurupdater method and flash the OTA package manually.

For what I read and understood, but I may be wrong, the problem with relocking bootloader is encountered by who used the funkyhuawei method, that alters bootloader in some way, especially to achive the mono sim - dual sim switch.
With this you cant for now re unlock the bootloader again.
But I could be wrong and be like that for everyone, will see if someone will come up with some clarifications.
It would be nice to have the ability to return to stock, lock bootloader and use warranty
[emoji14]

Thanks for your work and answers

Actually you don't in some cases, if your simply rooted with twrp and you want to install an OTA that's been advertised to your device. All you need to do is install the nocheck recovery IMG and then take the update, reinstall twrp and magisk after the update and you're done.

If it's an update that's not advertised to your device yet then hur updater is the way.

[GUIDE] Getting started - Unlock->TWRP->root->OTA updates

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