Everything Huawei Y550 - Root/CWM/TWRP

[pndwal]

fwiep​

Hope you're well mate! PW

 

[fwiep]

Could anyone be kind enough to point me in the right direction on how to either unlock the bootloader or gain the bootloader unlock code to unlock the phones.

As @pndwal so quickly pointed out, DC-Unlocker is probably your best / only chance of ever unlocking a locked Y550's bootloader. You have to download their client software onto a Windows machine, create an account, buy some credits, connect the phone to the Windows box and let it do it's thing. I've never actually done it, but it seems to (still) work for other people.

fwiep
Hope you're well mate! PW

I'm pretty well, thanks. I was pleasantly surprised to get a message in this old Y550-thread of XDA.

@Sign1: My most recent ROM for the Y550 can be found in this post, but you will indeed need to unlock the bootloader to run it, first.

Good luck, and please report on your progress!

Thanks,
FWieP

 

[Sign1]

Many thanks guys. I'll look into this. I brought both phone's for £60 and I quite like them. So this is the only way to unlock the bootloader. I tried this with a cracked DC unlocked software app. Kept reporting unable to connect to server. It took me ages to get the software to recognize the Y550.

 

[Sign1]

Have you any idea how many credits I'll need to unlock the bootloader. On one phone.
No point buying credits for two phones just in case it does not work.

 

[Sign1]

HCU Client for Windows​

I'm guessing download the above create an account buy credit cross fingers.

 

[Blank tape]

I would like to install a custom ROM as the stock ROM is too clunky.

Personally, I prefer the stock ROM and reinstalled it after trying a 2019 release of LineageOS 14.1. I was planning to install it again but have since had my attention diverted by other things including buying a phone released last year sold at clearance pricing. Unless you can't find a phone you can afford or plan to do ROM development yourself just for fun on a weak platform I would recommend you get a new phone and save yourself trouble and the expense of getting a boot loader unlock code. While updating the OS would give you access to updated versions of Google apps, newer apps and more recent, if not up to date security patches, Google will probably raise the bar again in a year or two and discontinue support for Android 7. As a phone, the Huawei Y550-L02 lacks VoLTE and LTE-FDD 700Mhz (B28) which is an important frequency used for coverage throughout the APAC region. Given your reference to sterling above I suspect you are not in APAC and would have been better off with the European model, the Y550-L01. There was some suggestion that VoLTE might be able to be enabled in the phone in the thread above with some reference to Magisk but you would need to research that yourself.

I bought both off Ebay and they are working fine but I cannot find a way to unlock the bootloader or recieve a bootloader code. I emailed HUAWEI with no luck.

Unfortunately, Huawei stopped providing those something like 5 years ago.

 

[pndwal]

Have you any idea how many credits I'll need to unlock the bootloader. On one phone.
No point buying credits for two phones just in case it does not work.

This is covered in my link... No idea how much now... PW

 

[Sign1]

Personally, I prefer the stock ROM and reinstalled it after trying a 2019 release of LineageOS 14.1. I was planning to install it again but have since had my attention diverted by other things including buying a phone released last year sold at clearance pricing. Unless you can't find a phone you can afford or plan to do ROM development yourself just for fun on a weak platform I would recommend you get a new phone and save yourself trouble and the expense of getting a boot loader unlock code. While updating the OS would give you access to updated versions of Google apps, newer apps and more recent, if not up to date security patches, Google will probably raise the bar again in a year or two and discontinue support for Android 7. As a phone, the Huawei Y550-L02 lacks VoLTE and LTE-FDD 700Mhz (B28) which is an important frequency used for coverage throughout the APAC region. Given your reference to sterling above I suspect you are not in APAC and would have been better off with the European model, the Y550-L01. There was some suggestion that VoLTE might be able to be enabled in the phone in the thread above with some reference to Magisk but you would need to research that yourself.


Unfortunately, Huawei stopped providing those something like 5 years ago.

Thanks for the reply buddy, much appreciated.

The phone itself the model has sentimental value, I bought two, one for me and one for my kid. His mum had the same model for years, she loved the phone as it only cost her $50 in Australia; so we both thought we would get one each as she has now passed on.
He wants to customise his hence the post, but I have tried and tried but cannot find a way to unlock the bootloader.

Now thanks to this forum I am hoping I can get it unlocked for him.

I'm not too grreat with tech, so it may take me some time, but I shall follow all instructions and report back if I have any success.

Again guys thnakyou for taking the time to post replies. Take care.

 

[pndwal]

...
The phone itself the model has sentimental value, I bought two, one for me and one for my kid. His mum had the same model for years, she loved the phone as it only cost her $50 in Australia; so we both thought we would get one each as she has now passed on...

Nice. Pretty slow phone by today's standards, but... Be sure to check baseband version...

I got several when #**** D ick Smith / Vodafone discounted the last of them to $35 AUD... PW

# Iconic brand, XDA won't let us mention... sorry all you Richards...

 

[Sign1]

I'm reposting this for my reference and anyone else who wishes to unlock the Y55O bootloader. Great info.

Thanks to Senior member pndwal.

Some Good News (potentially):

I checked with DC Unlocker people whether they can continue to provide unlock codes even after official unlocking support has finished. Evidently they can.

Conversation went:
Welcome Peter W! Your request has been directed to the HELP for software usage, modem configuration department.
Call accepted by operator Valdemaras. Currently in room: Valdemaras.

Peter W:
Please let me know if your software (or HCU-client) will still unlock bootloader on Huawei devices released before 24/05/2018 (specifically Y550) after today's (23/07/2018) official end of Huawei unlocking support.
Valdemaras:
Hello, it won't be able to unlock bootloader, it will be able to read bootloader code only
Peter W:
Will this enable me to unlock bootloader?
Valdemaras:
if you know how to use the code then yes
Peter W:
So is this the same as bootloader unlock code?
Valdemaras:
yes...
Peter W:
Great. So can I assume this method will continue to work despite Huawei officially closing unlocking support?
Valdemaras:
yes, reading bootloader unlock code will still be available after they close their official website for it
Peter W:
That's good news.

Peter W:
What about unlocking bootloader on Huawei devices released after 24/05/2018 (officially unlockable if released after that date)?
Valdemaras:
we do not have specific list depending on release dates, you can check what device are supported for bootloader unlock code reading here:

DC-unlocker features for Huawei Android phones

DC-unlocker is universal, fast and easy to use unlocking tool. Supports Huawei, ZTE, Sierra Wireless and other modems, routers and phones.

www.dc-unlocker.com

Peter W:
Many thanks for assurances.

Peter W:
Any recommendations on whether to use HCU-client or DC Unlocker for bootloader unlocking?
Valdemaras:
i repeat again
we do not unlock bootloader
can use any of the tools for reading bootloader unlock code from phone
Peter W:
Thanks PW
Valdemaras:
welcome

Y550 is supported by DC Unlocker, and they quote 4 credits (4 EUR) to read bootloader unlock code. (Also, 4 credits to unlock SIM, if you wish).

Their tutorial is here:

How to read Huawei Android phone bootloader code

read huawei android phone bootloader unlock code dc-unlocker

www.dc-unlocker.com

I've unlocked both Y550 bootloader and SIM using DC Unlocker previously without problems.

It seems this method will continue to work, albiet at a small cost (SIM unlocking price was the best I could find in the past), and this is a reputable / professional service, so this may be the best or only option for new Y550 custom rom users (and other Huawei owners).

Please would anyone using DC Unlocker after today confirm that it does still work (for new Custom Rom users).

Hope this helps new users. PW

 

[Sign1]

Nice. Pretty slow phone by today's standards, but... Be sure to check baseband version...

I got several when #**** D ick Smith / Vodafone discounted the last of them to $35 AUD... PW

# Iconic brand, XDA won't let us mention... sorry all you Richards...

Baseband verion is - 11060009

Yes she paid $100, but got a $50 Vodafone topup so in essence $50 for the phone. Bought it from a **.D ick Smith in Brisbane I think around/sometime between July 2014 and December 2014.

 

[Sign1]

Phone supported here.

DC-unlocker features for Huawei Android phones

DC-unlocker is universal, fast and easy to use unlocking tool. Supports Huawei, ZTE, Sierra Wireless and other modems, routers and phones.

www.dc-unlocker.com

Ascend Y550 Y550-L01 Qualcomm MSM8916
Ascend Y550 Y550-L02 Qualcomm MSM8916
Ascend Y550 Y550-L03 Qualcomm MSM8916


Download DC-Unlocker software.

Buy credits, it's 4 Euro's, so $4.40 incl GST Aus Dollars.

Follow this guide.

How to read Huawei Android phone bootloader code

read huawei android phone bootloader unlock code dc-unlocker

www.dc-unlocker.com

 

[pndwal]

Baseband verion is - 11060009

Modem baseband update and original stock image files are included in Y550 "Development" thread, post #2. Link at end this post (See Files and Tips).

Just flash 'modem' update to 11060045 for any custom ROMs, and flash 11060009 if returning to stock. No need to extract from your device. Also, modem baseband images are for all models even though physical radio comms differ per region sold (no 'global' model was available when this phone was made).

PW

 

[Sign1]

PW

Cheers Buddy.

 

[pndwal]

There was some suggestion that VoLTE might be able to be enabled in the phone in the thread above with some reference to Magisk but you would need to research that yourself.

I fiddled with experimental module and VoLTE provisioning, but was never a able to make it work on Y550.

I now use Xiaomi models, and note that early iterations of VoLTE may be fraught even when supported due lack of support for later protocols; VoLTE was working fine on both Redmi 6 and Redmi Note 8T, but I had to disable it on the R6 about a year ago when Vodafone upgraded network and calls started failing to connect altogether... No issues w/ VoLTE off... No such problem with newer RN8T. PW

 

[Blank tape]

The phone itself the model has sentimental value, ...

Sorry for your loss, but I will be a pain and point out that installing another ROM will make the phone behave differently. Wouldn't that destroy some of its sentimental value? I don't know whether you've both used the phones enough to be aware of the limitations but if not please manage expectations of your son. I don't know where you are but possibly even now the phones lack of band support and VoLTE will be limiting your coverage. It will be perfectly fine for running some apps but web browsing will be slow on perhaps the majority of web sites. Some apps will be perfectly fine though. Navigation apps suffer at least on the stock ROM from the GPS regularly losing lock unless the phone remains connected to a power source. Replacing the ROM will allow you to get newer apps and newer versions of existing apps and the adoptable storage feature allows the internal storage to be extended by the capacity of the SD card but makes the SD card integral to the functioning of the phone.

it's 4 Euro's, so $4.40 incl GST Aus Dollars.

FWIW, EUR 4 = approx AUD 6 unless you're getting a great deal.

I got several when #**** D ick Smith / Vodafone discounted the last of them to $35 AUD... PW

Damn, I thought I got a good deal from Hardly Normal around Easter 2015. Did you get the $50 starter kit with yours too? I managed to get the starter kit applied as a lower value combo recharge to an existing plan. In hindsight, I wish I'd bought another one too. Even now I wouldn't mind another Y550 with an unlocked boot loader for the right price but it probably would just sit around here as another stalled project. My new phone has an MTK chipset and needs some hacking even to get fastboot and adb working in recovery apparently. D. Smith is a dirty word these days itself.

Regarding installing LineageOS, FW wrote a couple of excellent posts here (in Dutch, Google translate does a pretty good job.) You can use a later version of TWRP. If any OTA update has been applied, fastboot flashing of TWRP will not be effective in changing the recovery to TWRP so you need to boot TWRP instead each time you wish to use it. I'll also point out that TWRP will not back up all partitions on the phone. You can use adb to do that. I can't remember whether restoring from TWRP backups was enough to get the phone up and running on stock but installing the first OTA update from Vodafone AU (B247SP01) certainly did.

I fiddled with experimental module and VoLTE provisioning, but was never a able to make it work on Y550.

Occasionally the thought that I should return the phone to Vodafone and demand that they either enable VoLTE or replace the phone goes through my head. As Vodafone originally originally claimed that the phone supports VoLTE I believe that would be a valid claim under ACL though they probably would need to be prodded by the TIO. If I were still a customer I might have done something about it but I wouldn't like to return the phone and get something less hackable in any case.

 

[pndwal]

Sorry for your loss, but I will be a pain and point out that installing another ROM will make the phone behave differently. Wouldn't that destroy some of its sentimental value? I don't know whether you've both used the phones enough to be aware of the limitations but if not please manage expectations of your son. I don't know where you are but possibly even now the phones lack of band support and VoLTE will be limiting your coverage.

Personally, found LTE coverage quite acceptable in Sydney on L2 (w/ updated baseband)... VoLTE only allows LTE and simultaneous voice call; without, data drops to 3G.

It will be perfectly fine for running some apps but web browsing will be slow on perhaps the majority of web sites. Some apps will be perfectly fine though. Navigation apps suffer at least on the stock ROM from the GPS regularly losing lock unless the phone remains connected to a power source. Replacing the ROM will allow you to get newer apps and newer versions of existing apps and the adoptable storage feature allows the internal storage to be extended by the capacity of the SD card but makes the SD card integral to the functioning of the phone.

Yup, Adopted Storage is ESSENTIAL on this phone... Unless you only have 2 small apps.

FWIW, EUR 4 = approx AUD 6 unless you're getting a great deal.

Damn, I though I got a good deal from Hardly Normal around Easter 2015. Did you get the $50 starter kit with yours too?

I bought about 8 of these... Couldn't resist the last couple at $35!... I'm pretty sure even these had the starter pack!... (This was the real D ick Smith).

I managed to get the starter kit applied as a lower value combo recharge to an existing plan. In hindsight, I wish I'd bought another one too. Even now I wouldn't mind another Y550 with an unlocked boot loader for the right price but it probably would just sit around here as another stalled project. My new phone has an MTK chipset and needs some hacking even to get fastboot and adb working in recovery apparently. D. Smith is a dirty word these days itself.

and I believe D ick Smith is now a Kogan sub brand... Think they bought the name...

My first 'computer' was D ick's VZ200 (Z80) replete with data cassette deck... Needed a few blank tapes...

... Occasionally the thought that I should return the phone to Vodafone and demand that they either enable VoLTE or replace the phone goes through my head. As Vodafone originally originally claimed that the phone supports VoLTE I believe that would be a valid claim under ACL though they probably would need to be prodded by the TIO.

Haha! Vaguely remember that claim... Several of us tried since SD410 specs support... Perhaps Vodafone just read that too... PW

 

[Blank tape]

Personally, found LTE coverage quite acceptable in Sydney on L2 (w/ updated baseband)...

700Mhz (B28) provides both coverage and in-building penetration so it is useful to have. Vodafone only picked some up by virtue of integrating TPG's holding. Prior to that Vodafone only had 850Mhz (B5). B28 has more bandwidth available than the bands that were originally repurposed from 2G. Grey imports often lack it.

Yup, Adopted Storage is ESSENTIAL on this phone... Unless you only have 2 small apps.

I've managed without it and the alternatives like Link2SD but the lack of storage has made it a pain to update larger apps at times. Judicious clearing of app data helps with some apps left at stock and some stock apps disabled. I was warned about the lack of storage but I didn't listen. Little did I know that Android keeps the factory versions of the apps around.

I believe D ick Smith is now a Kogan sub brand... Think they bought the name...

Hence my comment.

 

[Sign1]

Sorry for your loss, but I will be a pain and point out that installing another ROM will make the phone behave differently. Wouldn't that destroy some of its sentimental value? I don't know whether you've both used the phones enough to be aware of the limitations but if not please manage expectations of your son. I don't know where you are but possibly even now the phones lack of band support and VoLTE will be limiting your coverage. It will be perfectly fine for running some apps but web browsing will be slow on perhaps the majority of web sites. Some apps will be perfectly fine though. Navigation apps suffer at least on the stock ROM from the GPS regularly losing lock unless the phone remains connected to a power source. Replacing the ROM will allow you to get newer apps and newer versions of existing apps and the adoptable storage feature allows the internal storage to be extended by the capacity of the SD card but makes the SD card integral to the functioning of the phone.


FWIW, EUR 4 = approx AUD 6 unless you're getting a great deal.


Damn, I thought I got a good deal from Hardly Normal around Easter 2015. Did you get the $50 starter kit.

Cheers Buddy. Yep she paid $100 with starter kit. We are currently in the UK.
Yep it costs $6.75 I got the costs wrong.
I'm going to unlock both boot loaders as I like full root access to declutter any unwanted apps.
I'm struggling to buy the four credits at the moment.
I no longer have the cell number associated to my bank card and it's asking for a code sent to this number when buying the unlock credits.
So until the bank change the cell number I'm stuck.
Wish they would use PayPal.

 

[pndwal]

...lack of storage has made it a pain to update larger apps at times.

Impossible for some I use!.. Hence my comment.

Judicious clearing of app data helps with some apps left at stock and some stock apps disabled. I was warned about the lack of storage but I didn't listen. Little did I know that Android keeps the factory versions of the apps around.

Sign1​

That reminds me, more relevant tips, especially re. integrating system app updates regularly or installing latest GApps periodically to free space in internal (user) memory:

...
Note very useful developer option 'Force allow apps on external':

I used to use link2sd successfully, then switched to apps2sd which was vastly improved, and has inbuilt SD formatting tools and seamless script creation, as well as many more useful features, some of which are still useful for those using native adoptive storage (which uses F2FS, a faster file system than Ext4). Incidentally, it recognises and can format for native adoptive storage now too, but I never played with that.

I still used apps2sd till we had N, which utilises Adoptive SD Storage properly (unlike M), allowing most downloaded apps to be moved to SD (app developer dependant) in FULL, along with all user data. - No more need for link2sd or apps2sd when running out of space for apps. For me, this is one of the the best features of N for low memory devices like ours.

I'm including previously posted tips for Adoptive Storage use below. (It's time I revisited these and made a tidy list.):

Adoptive Tips:

-I Recommend fast SD card for phone-mem-like performance. I use 80MB/s SanDisk Ultra 64GB SDXC, but faster would be better.

-Dirty ROM updates (generally) retain all settings, so you don't need to save and restore adoptive storage encryption key in order to use SD data after dirty flash, but be aware that if anything happens to the stored encryption key, or you do a clean update or factory reset (eg because you can't get past password protection), all data on SD will be unrecoverable / lost for good (unless you save key to restore however, but this cannot be used on a different device. Key in data/misc/vold).

-Migrating data basically frees up phone memory to be used only for system apps, system data and unmoved apps (great for low memory devices).

-Moveable apps automatically go to SD (problems with this in M gone), but if app developer hasn't enabled 'move apps to SD' (they often forget to flag this, and apps will not then be moved), we can 'Force allow apps on external' in Developer Options in LOS and other custom ROMs (Makes any app eligible to be written to external storage, regardless of manifest values). This makes it the perfect out-of-the-box solution for a low memory phone!

-You can also go to Internal storage, Apps, and individually move any apps that have CHANGE button that haven't been moved already. Newly installed apps will be installed automatically on SD if developer supports SD installation.

-[Root explorers and other root apps] lose root permission and won't allow root / system level access when on SD card. Other apps may also suffer reduced functionality if left on SD.

-In a standard android file explorer (and with usb mtp computer connection) you will now see only your SD card, which is now your phone (user) memory (ie user data partition), and this has changed to the capacity of your SD card. It doesn't show up before migrating data, even though formatted as internal, as user data partition needs to be swapped to it from internal and the migrate data process does this. That's why there is no longer any internal phone memory showing. (It's now basically freed up for system apps, system data, and unmoved user apps.)

-Consistently, official TWRP (ie. twrp-3.2.3-0-y550.img etc) is the only one that can display Adoptive Storage, (I guess it correctly uses encryption key at data/misc/vold). L01 users can simply check they are using official TWRP if they cannot access files on SD from recovery after formatting SD as adoptive. L02 and L03 users will need to have unofficial twrp loaded to install ROM as all official TWRPs fail (with error 7) to flash any recent ROMs to their devices. To flash ROMs from SD, they will need to format SD as portable, or swap SD with another formatted as portable with installation files loaded. After ROM flash, they can swap to official twrp if they want to access phone data on adoptive SD in recovery. (Nb. Error 7 is only experienced updating ROM. Other files, GApps, Magisk, modem etc. flash fine from both official and unofficial TWRPs.)

Additional Tip:

-I still use Apps2SD at times to integrate system updates into system (using 'convert to system' module). [Unless you integrate them, updated system apps will be in internal (user), and original (deactivated) apps will be retained in system as installer can't alter system partition (also, system apps wont move to SD), so updating old GApps wastes space in internal. (Many updates will be installed to internal when first updating and more will be installed over time, leaving a deactivated app in system for each.)] Nb. I tried a stand-alone app (System cleaner 2) to integrate, but it messed up system apps. I went back to Apps2SD for this, and it integrated updates without problems. (Nb. Integrated updates and their data are often overwritten / messed up by new ROM installations, so you will likely need to reinstall GApps and repeat integration.)

-If you don't integrate regularly, installing latest GApps periodically can also minimise wasted internal space, restoring all GApps to system partition as they are flashed to it, and flash package also removes earlier GApp updates from internal (user), which is important for Y550 with its limited internal storage.

-Apps2SD has other functions that are still useful too, eg. Fix Device Lag (Trim partitions), etc. PW

Further Regarding GApps:
The problem is Y550 has only 989MB accessible system partition (even though total size is 1.2GB), which is small, and messing with partition sizes is perilous (only for masochists!) I have 171 MB free after integrating system updates, and I flash nano GApps which is 215MB, so you may be able to flash micro (246MB, Ie 31MB extra) or possibly mini (378MB, Ie 163MB extra), but this would leave practically no headroom, and I'd be keeping 100MB or so free for updates etc.

Full GApps is 627MB, and stock is 752MB, so these are a no go on Y550. It is a budget phone after all, though arguably the best yet

TWRP - you need unofficial version to flash ROMs on L02. Bit of a pain, but both have different features working:

All official here: https://dl.twrp.me/y550/.
Or here: https://eu.dl.twrp.me/y550/.

Latest unofficial is 3.1.1.0, Dec. 16 2017 by @desalesouche: https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=74856798&postcount=5850.

Additional info re. TWRP differences and usage:
Consistently, official twrp is the only one that can display Adoptive Storage, (I guess it correctly uses encryption key at data/misc/vold), however it fails (with error 7) to flash any recent ROMs on LO2 (and I suspect on LO3 as in the past).
For this reason I still need to have unofficial twrp loaded to install ROM on L02. PW

Many more tips there too, and in my following posts too if you've time for light reading... PW