Agreed. If it's being recognized strictly by way of FEL mode, it's likely bricked. On the other hand, if it's showing up as MTP or a USB debugging protocol, the display is likely the culprit.
[GUIDE][FIRMWARE] QLink Scepter 8 (Gen 1 & Gen 2) Factory Firmware & Upgrading Guide
- Thread starter Viva La Android
- Start date
Viva have you got any farther on the twrp ? And would love to know more about the LineageOS
If you want to install LineageOS, or any other GSI-based custom ROM, you'll need to familiarize yourself with Project Treble. I'll post a link to the Treble forums here on XDA for your reference. The forums include tutorials, FAQs, links for dozens of GSI custom ROM builds, and tons of info regarding the concept of Project Treble. On the Scepter 8, the only custom GSI ROM I've tried is LineageOS 19.1. In theory, however, there are dozens of custom distributions that should work on this tablet. You don't need TWRP to install a GSI ROM; fastboot mode will suffice. If and when a stable TWRP becomes available for the Scepter 8, I will start a dedicated TWRP thread.
Here is a link to the official Project Treble forums: https://forum.xda-developers.com/c/project-treble.7259/
There is going to be something wrong with it if your unwilling to look into the possibility of it being a issue we are trying to have you diagnose as we cannot see it. Not being rude or mean to you but I keep seeing you dismiss peoples ideas targeted at assistance for you so if you keep telling yourself the tablet is the problem and failing to double check anything. you will inevitably never get to the issue. Android is not perfect when Modifications are being made. When you unlock a bootloader and try to flash software there is always stupid small things that you will not see in the moment and feel stupid when you realize it's so simple of a fix or a extremely difficult fix. Android and all software is like a cruel prankster. So please don't dismiss people like that when they are trying to help you find the answer with the same knowledge as you. That's what this form is for. No one has been given the golden key from the manufacturer and all fixes are temperamental and a work around. If you can uninstall all the drivers or boot a new windows entirely and start over as the only thing I can duplicate is incomplete or incompatible drivers and a Low Batter as it doesn't charge in bootloader or recovery and this will cause a blank screen with recognition until it charges.
How To Charge Android Phone In Fastboot (Bootloader) Mode?
My Android Phone Is Not Charging. Bootloader Shows The Warning Battery Low. I Accedentaly Erased /Boot /Recovery /System Partition. And Because Battery Is Low I Can Not Flash Boot.Img And Recovery....
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Any vanilla build I have tried has worked on this lineageOS with GMS is the only one I've been able to boot with Gaps. I also flashed a Google VBmeta from the beta 12 GSI on Google's website to accomplish that tho so idk of that matters but saves from having to disable verification and verity.
Not dismissing anyone. Willing to try whatever. Sorry if you took it that way. Was simply stating that upon getting the PC ready to try what he had told me to, and I noticed that it wouldn't turn on. Or screen wouldn't light. Didn't dismiss anyone. Simply said what it was doing. Wouldn't light up but was still recognized in device manager. For me to dismiss someone would insinuate that I even knew what I was doing. This stuff interests me I want to learn. I'll gladly take guidence and suggestion. I came to this forum for help and a few were kind enough to not blow me off and assist me. I'm grateful and listening. Wanted to practice on this one as I have a android headunit that's stuck in a boot loop that's been kicking my ass. So no I'm not dismissing anyone. I'll give it another shot and I'll attach some pics of what it does so those who want to assist can see what I'm dealing with and tell me what next. Thank you guysThere is going to be something wrong with it if your unwilling to look into the possibility of it being a issue we are trying to have you diagnose as we cannot see it. Not being rude or mean to you but I keep seeing you dismiss peoples ideas targeted at assistance for you so if you keep telling yourself the tablet is the problem and failing to double check anything. you will inevitably never get to the issue. Android is not perfect when Modifications are being made. When you unlock a bootloader and try to flash software there is always stupid small things that you will not see in the moment and feel stupid when you realize it's so simple of a fix or a extremely difficult fix. Android and all software is like a cruel prankster. So please don't dismiss people like that when they are trying to help you find the answer with the same knowledge as you. That's what this form is for. No one has been given the golden key from the manufacturer and all fixes are temperamental and a work around. If you can uninstall all the drivers or boot a new windows entirely and start over as the only thing I can duplicate is incomplete or incompatible drivers and a Low Batter as it doesn't charge in bootloader or recovery and this will cause a blank screen with recognition until it charges.
How To Charge Android Phone In Fastboot (Bootloader) Mode?
My Android Phone Is Not Charging. Bootloader Shows The Warning Battery Low. I Accedentaly Erased /Boot /Recovery /System Partition. And Because Battery Is Low I Can Not Flash Boot.Img And Recovery....android.stackexchange.com
With your tablet connected to your PC via micro USB to USB-A data sync cable, right click on your Windows Start icon and select Device Manager. Can you post a photo reflecting the manner in which your PC is recognizing your tablet by way of Windows Device Manager? Thanks.
I apologize if I came across insulting or rude. I can tell you that when the device is in Fastboot recovery or fastbootD the devices battery doesn't charge tho you should be able to unplug the device and while holding the key combo to enter bootloader including the power key still should be able to get the green droid laying on his back bootloader mode. If your batter is dead it does stay recognized in device manager. I would suggest plugging it into the wall for awhile as the USB data connection draws more power than the USB port provides haultimg the charge to the battery. You will also need to ensure that if you changed the Boot.img by flashing another to restore the stock boot IMG for the device as the wrong IMG can sometimes cause the device to malfunction in a powered off plugged state. The boot.img contains Recovery As Well as the fastbootD so having the correct boot.img is a good start in figuring it out. If you changed the vendor .IMG or flashed the wrong firmware in fastboot I know installing the wrong .IMG on the device In my hand to test did cause touch and sensors to fail so I assume the vendor .IMG would be capable of causing screen failures only if it was altered. If you can get it into the green droid on his back bootloader fastboot. I always use a OTG adapter and the Bugjaeger Premium App on another device to send the fastboot commands to it and I have yet to get a failed command due to drivers. Make sure you charged the battery with a wall outlet you will need voltage from the battery or else the device relys solely on the data connection and this will cause interrupted data and partially completed commands or just a failure. I can confirm after letting mine die via battery swap. The device acts just as you have described with a black screen and a unknown device appears "I don't have the drivers installed on the PC i am using" as for windows. I have tried several versions as I am not skilled on windows at all. Windows 7 pro was the only version I with a basic understanding of windows could get both the .IMG file extracted and tools to install as I prefer Linux and to flash the super partition in fastbootD userspace parallel to the recovery mode. This requires the correct boot.img or else it does fail for IMG size of course this is with the extracted .IMG file within the archive provided and it shows up as super.fex. also I do not change this file type to .IMG as it will flash correctly. After you "if your able to" get the stock unchanged OS to boot is when you should attempt any other alterations. I wouldn't try anything until after you have left the device plugged into the wall not PC for a day as I believe you have a dead battery however if you made changes to the boot IMG I wouldn't expect the device to even charge properly until the boot.img meant for the device is replaced. I could be wrong
Your device could also be stuck in the FEL mode. I would hope that you can if the device is recognized get the flash to complete or by making sure it's not plugged into a PC holding the power key and volume down or just power to force a reboot "plugged into wall if the battery is dead" and try to get it to either bootloader or recovery. Right now I don't remember but power and Volume down for bootloader or volume up and power. One of the key combo will give you bootloader and one is recovery. Recovery needs the boot partition so you may only get bootloader. Either option would be better than nothing for a sign of life left in it. I do know after getting one stuck in a black screen from changing the boot slot to slot B by mistake and having flashed the wrong firmware to slot a it did take awhile of me holding the power key and volume key to get it to bootloader. If I think of anything else or relevance I will try to gelp
to check the battery upon getting into fastboot try
fastboot getvar battery-voltage
I also found this
SOLVED: Stuck in fastboot with low battery. Use this BATCH file!
You have a problem when you have ALL of the following conditions met: 1. Your battery level is below 3.68 V (3680 mV) (about 10% charged). 2. You have a custom recovery on the recovery partition AND a custom ROM on the system partition. 3. You...
forum.xda-developers.com
I know that I can sometimes type things out in a manner that's hard to follow. That sometimes also appears to be cold and rude. I tend to type my responses fast as I tend to reply in-between a busy schedule. If you ever need clarification just ask. I know my typing skills are less than optimal for following along.
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I would also like to add. Under the three buttons for volume and power. On mine there is a small pinhole. After pulling back the housing there is a fourth button on the pad that when I press it instantly reboots the device like a hard reset button. A paperclip lightly pressed or preferably something plastic "it's a small little piece of fragile aluminum for the button" might be of use..
Attachments
I totally get it. No worries. Sometimes hard to stay up with what's going on here. But as far as the device itself... Was new out of the box. Played on it for maybe a day or two went to turn it on and it only had a message that said this device is corrupted and cannot be trusted and wouldn't boot up since then. So it's been sitting in a drawer for quite some time and like I said I'm trying to fix a Android head unit and so I figured I could use this as practice tried messing with it couldn't get it to recognized reinstall the drivers it recognizes in the device manager just by it installs but it won't recognize in the program to flash it and it doesn't matter I left it plugged in to the wall for a full day came home and it still wouldn't turn on so I'm wondering if the battery itself is shot or if there's a screen issue. Or like you said maybe it's stuck in some mode now. Nothing has ever been transferred to it or flashed to it more than just the idea of it in my head. So the whole thing is still stock it's just being a cheap little piece of ****I apologize if I came across insulting or rude. I can tell you that when the device is in Fastboot recovery or fastbootD the devices battery doesn't charge tho you should be able to unplug the device and while holding the key combo to enter bootloader including the power key still should be able to get the green droid laying on his back bootloader mode. If your batter is dead it does stay recognized in device manager. I would suggest plugging it into the wall for awhile as the USB data connection draws more power than the USB port provides haultimg the charge to the battery. You will also need to ensure that if you changed the Boot.img by flashing another to restore the stock boot IMG for the device as the wrong IMG can sometimes cause the device to malfunction in a powered off plugged state. The boot.img contains Recovery As Well as the fastbootD so having the correct boot.img is a good start in figuring it out. If you changed the vendor .IMG or flashed the wrong firmware in fastboot I know installing the wrong .IMG on the device In my hand to test did cause touch and sensors to fail so I assume the vendor .IMG would be capable of causing screen failures only if it was altered. If you can get it into the green droid on his back bootloader fastboot. I always use a OTG adapter and the Bugjaeger Premium App on another device to send the fastboot commands to it and I have yet to get a failed command due to drivers. Make sure you charged the battery with a wall outlet you will need voltage from the battery or else the device relys solely on the data connection and this will cause interrupted data and partially completed commands or just a failure. I can confirm after letting mine die via battery swap. The device acts just as you have described with a black screen and a unknown device appears "I don't have the drivers installed on the PC i am using" as for windows. I have tried several versions as I am not skilled on windows at all. Windows 7 pro was the only version I with a basic understanding of windows could get both the .IMG file extracted and tools to install as I prefer Linux and to flash the super partition in fastbootD userspace parallel to the recovery mode. This requires the correct boot.img or else it does fail for IMG size of course this is with the extracted .IMG file within the archive provided and it shows up as super.fex. also I do not change this file type to .IMG as it will flash correctly. After you "if your able to" get the stock unchanged OS to boot is when you should attempt any other alterations. I wouldn't try anything until after you have left the device plugged into the wall not PC for a day as I believe you have a dead battery however if you made changes to the boot IMG I wouldn't expect the device to even charge properly until the boot.img meant for the device is replaced. I could be wrong
Your device could also be stuck in the FEL mode. I would hope that you can if the device is recognized get the flash to complete or by making sure it's not plugged into a PC holding the power key and volume down or just power to force a reboot "plugged into wall if the battery is dead" and try to get it to either bootloader or recovery. Right now I don't remember but power and Volume down for bootloader or volume up and power. One of the key combo will give you bootloader and one is recovery. Recovery needs the boot partition so you may only get bootloader. Either option would be better than nothing for a sign of life left in it. I do know after getting one stuck in a black screen from changing the boot slot to slot B by mistake and having flashed the wrong firmware to slot a it did take awhile of me holding the power key and volume key to get it to bootloader. If I think of anything else or relevance I will try to gelp
to check the battery upon getting into fastboot try
fastboot getvar battery-voltage
I also found this
SOLVED: Stuck in fastboot with low battery. Use this BATCH file!
You have a problem when you have ALL of the following conditions met: 1. Your battery level is below 3.68 V (3680 mV) (about 10% charged). 2. You have a custom recovery on the recovery partition AND a custom ROM on the system partition. 3. You...
I know that I can sometimes type things out in a manner that's hard to follow. That sometimes also appears to be cold and rude. I tend to type my responses fast as I tend to reply in-between a busy schedule. If you ever need clarification just ask. I know my typing skills are less than optimal for following along.
The corruption and cannot be trusted is only going to appear if someone unlocked the bootloader. I guess it's just throwing me off a little as I don't know anyway it would appear unlocked and give that boot delay screen. The device has to be plugged into a device or PC with ADB and Fastboot to unlock the bootloader and the developer settings to allow the OEM unlock switched. If during normal use the device failed usually you can factory reset in recovery without any issues and fastboot is really only needed when making modifications or unbricking with OEM images. Did you buy chance look to see what the device showed up as in device manager as In what exactly does it say the device name is? Or device type? If left in a drawer it is entirely possible pressure was applied to the screen and it is broken internally without visible defects. A flashlight is usually helpful looking for defects in the digitizer and if the LEDs stopped a flashlight would reveal the display if it's working at all. "ON SOME DEVICES". Can you find the device name that showed up and confirm if it's getting a ADB connection or fastboot by sending the command adb devices and fastboot devices the response will say a device serial number or nothing at all. It could be in fastboot if the screen is off or even recovery and this device in recovery will output on adb devices (089970)device-unauthorized or authorizing
That error is only a delay in boot tho. The power key will pause the boot. However 5secomds after the pop up the device will start to boot.
Sorry for the delay. Been kinda hectic around here. So I just now turned on the laptop and plugged it in. Made the ding sounds of new device almost right away. Here are some pics of device manager. It's pulling up a tplink phone, and a unknown device. See attached pics. Had the tablet on the charger for some time before I hooked it up but still not a flicker of light from the screen. No button combos I have tried do anything either. So unsure of my next step.
Attachments
Used flashlight on screen. Looks fine to me. Tried and devices ... Comes up nothing. Tries fastboot devices.... Gives me a error. In device manager. . The unknown device... Says no drivers are installed. Device instance path is ISB\VID_1F3A&PID_EFE8\5&244C2DA1&0&4. physical device name... \DEVICE\USBPDO-7. ..
Ok so I right clicked on unknown device. Update driver. And just selected the whole folder to where I downloaded everything from this thread. It picked up the all winner driver. Boom screen came on. Phoenix suit was running in back ground. It picked up and did a firmware update. Tablet is in the set up stages now. Super slowly though. SUPER. So I'm taking it it's not bricked anymore. And I should be good to tinker with it? Try a new rom or something?;something different something fun. Or is there anything else that I'm needing to do.
Glad to hear the firmware flashed. Now that your tablet is restored, your may want to achieve root access. With root, you can permanently remove any bloatware, preinstalled services you don't use, and tweak your kernel parameters to do things like change the default CPU scaling governor, optimize RAM management, change I/O scheduler presets to boost responsiveness, etc.
Because this tablet is Treble supported, there are a number of prebuilt GSI custom ROMs you can install and test. I've only used a LineageOS 19.1 GSI ROM, but it performed quite well. You'll need to read over the tutorials and guides on the official Project Treble forums here on XDA to learn how to install GSI ROMs. You don't need TWRP; everything can be done using fastboot commands. I'll get you a link to the forums.
Project Treble XDA Forums
I'll be doing some how-to guides on GSI ROM installation on the Scepter 8, as well as a guide on optimizing and fully debloating the stock OS. Free time is what I need to get those tasks done, but I am presently too busy with work to contribute much on XDA.
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Yes please. Exactly what I wanted to do. Get some practice in with this unit. Then I can fix my headunit. Then once I'm more comfortable with it. I'll try my phone. Yea these sceptre are slow. Mine is a snail. I appreciate all your help.
You can unlock bootloader without adb. Instead in developers go to about and software info and tap the build version 7 times. Back up one and go to system and then developers the check oem unlock
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Hey there my friend. I am seeming to be having issues trying to install
Me again lol having some issues setting up the scepter to install lineages os. The patched boot img I've patched through Magisk flashes great but then only loads to qlink image and that's it. I have to reflash with original img to get it back going. What am I doing wrong ?1@Viva La Android This is a gen 2 that CPU ID or one of those other free, ad-riddled messes identified as an A100 gen 1 but I know for 100% it's a gen 2 so your point should be bold, Italic and underlined as an understatement. -
4QLink Scepter 8 Tablet
Gen 1 & Gen 2 Models
Factory Firmware Restoration
And Upgrading Guide
OVERVIEW:INSTALLING ADB & FASTBOOT:
The manufacturer of this tablet, Hot Pepper Mobile, has graciously provided me with some factory firmware images for the Gen 1 and Gen 2 models of the QLink Scepter 8. Accordingly, I wanted to follow up with a comprehensive guide for performing a full firmware restoration and/or upgrading the firmware to a newer build version. This guide can be used to restore a device stuck in a boot loop, a bricked device, or a device which has become unstable due to issues with the Android OS or corresponding firmware. This guide can also be used for members who wish to upgrade the firmware from an earlier build version.
This guide will be outlined to provide four firmware installation methods, all of which will focus on a Windows-based setup: (1) PhoenixUSB Pro; (2) LiveSuit; (3) PhoenixSuit; and (4) PhoenixCard. These four utilities were developed and released by Allwinner Technology Co, LTD. As such, each proprietary tool provides a comprehensive solution for restoring your device to its stock factory state. While any of the four outlined methods will ultimately achieve the same end result, members may find that one particular utility is simpler to use or works better than the others. In short, versatility is the focal point. The first three methods are standard proprietary strategies for flashing vendor-specific firmware images to eMMC NAND storage. These tools flash your tablet from a powered-off state known as FEL mode, a proprietary flashing protocol based on BROM. It should be noted here that some members have experienced device recognition issues while using PhoenixUSB Pro, PhoenixSuit and LiveSuit. For members who are experiencing insurmountable device recognition issues, I e. the flash tool not recognizing your tablet once it is in the powered off FEL flash mode, I have included a new section in the instructions for installing the proper Allwinner FEL mode drivers. This section should remedy any such device recognition problems. Also, the 4th method, PhoenixCard, may provide you with a viable solution to device recognition problems. PhoenixCard enables users to write a full firmware image to a micro SD card which, in turn, is inserted into the tablet's micro SD card slot. The tablet is then booted, at which time the firmware image on external storage is written to NAND/eMMC flash memory, thus fully restoring the tablet to its factory state. The PhoenixCard method is ideal for users with unresolved device recognition issues, or in scenarios where the partition index has incurred major corruption and fails during standard firmware restoration procedures.
HARDWARE VARIANTS:
There are a four (4) different variants of the QLink Scepter 8, categorized under the two (2) primary hardware models Gen 1 & Gen 2. The original Gen 1 model, released in April, 2021, shipped with an Allwinner-A100 chipset, 1 GB RAM, and Android 11 (Go Edition) preinstalled. The latest Gen 2 model, released in mid-July, 2022, ships with an upgraded Allwinner-A133 chipset, 2 GB RAM, and runs on Android 12 (Go Edition). Regardless of which gen model you own, your device serial number will begin either with the two letters MD or the two letters CF. Hence, there are two variants of the original Gen 1 model, and two variants of the latest Gen 2 model. I am referencing these models and variants in order to emphasize that they are not intercompatible in terms of firmware. Determining your variant is very simple: if your tablet has Android 11 (Go Edition), you have the original Gen 1 model. And, if you are running on Android 12 (Go Edition), you have the latest Gen 2 model. Once you determine which model you own, simply check the first two letters of your device S/N to determine the variant. To avoid confusion and potential firmware mismatches, I have categorized the firmware images under their corresponding models in the downloads section. These sections have further been subdivided under the appropriate S/N variants. Ensure that you download the correct package based on your S/N variant. Otherwise, the Allwinner proprietary flash tools used in this guide will not commence with the flashing process.
While this step is not absolutely required in order to perform a firmware restoration of the QLink Scepter 8, it's a good idea to go ahead and get this taken care of for future needs (e.g., unlocking the bootloader and rooting, if you plan on performing those tasks later on). All of the flash tools referenced in this tutorial are capable of restoring a QLink Scepter 8 which is bricked (a tablet which is unable to boot to the Android OS, and/or unable to boot into either recovery or fastboot mode).
If you have previously installed ADB & Fastboot, as well as the relevant USB device drivers on your Windows computer, skip down to the next section. Otherwise,- Download the 15-Second ADB Installer v1.5.6 from the link below. Extract the contents of the archive to a folder on your desktop, or to another convenient directory.
- Open the utility and press the "Y" key when prompted to install the ADB & Fastboot drivers.
- Select "Y" again when prompted to install ADB as system-wide.
- Next, you will be given an option to install USB device drivers. Once again, press the "Y" key. A Device Drivers Installation Wizard window will be launched.
- Click the Next box in the lower right-hand section. If you receive a red warning notification that the drivers are unsigned, choose the option to install anyway. The Google universal USB device drivers will be installed on your computer.
- It' is recommended to reboot your PC or laptop once you see the notification that the drivers were successfully installed. That's it. Your Windows computer should now be configured with the ADB & Fastboot tools as well as the Google universal device drivers.
INSTALLING ALLWINNER USB DRIVERS:
The first three firmware flashing tools outlined in this guide -- PhoenixUSB Pro, LiveSuit and PhoenixSuit -- restore factory firmware by flashing the NAND/eMMC directly, with the device in a powered-off emergency flashing state known as FEL mode. FEL mode is the Allwinner proprietary firmware flashing protocol based on the hardware embedded Boot ROM (BROM) implementation. All three of these tools utilize FEL mode when flashing firmware to your tablet's NAND/eMMC internal storage device. FEL mode is initiated one of two ways: (1) if the tablet is booted into the Android OS while connected to your computer, the tool will recognize your device, via USB Debugging, and once firmware flashing is ready to commence, the tool will boot your tablet into FEL flash mode which, again, is a powered off state; or (2) if your device is bricked, stuck in a boot loop, or is otherwise unable to boot up, FEL mode can be initiated manually by performing a particular hardware key sequence while connecting the powered-off device to your computer. This key sequence is outlined below in the instructions. In either scenario, your tablet will not be recognized by whichever flash tool you are using unless the proper drivers are installed on your Windows PC or laptop.
Typically, on both Windows 10 and 11, generic drivers bundled with the operating system will enable proper recognition of your tablet while in FEL flash mode. However, because some members have encountered issues with the Scepter 8 being recognized by these flash tools (while in FEL mode), I am including this section to ensure proper Allwinner USB driver installation on your Windows computer, before we get started with the flashing procedure.- Download the Allwinner FEL Driver v1.0.0 from the link provided below, and extract the contents of the archived file to your desktop or another convenient directory;
- Right click on either the dpinst_x86.exe file (for 32-bit Windows), or the dpinst_x64.exe file (for 64-bit Windows), and choose to run the application as an administrator;
- Follow the prompts on the driver installation wizard to install and configure the drivers on your computer. Once complete, a notification will indicate that the installation was successful;
- Select Finish and reboot your computer. Your tablet should now be recognized by the respective flash tool while in FEL mode, thus enabling the firmware restoration process to properly commence.
DISCLAIMER:
This guide involves flashing the partitions of your device with stock firmware. As such, there are always risks involved. By proceeding further, you are assuming sole responsibility and liability for the integrity and operability of your tablet. I am not responsible or liable in the event you damage your device or render it otherwise inoperable on the basis of this guide. Follow the instructions carefully and I'm confident things will go smoothly. If there is something you are unclear about, this thread is noob-friendly, so feel free to ask questions in comments.
Furthermore, some of the firmware restoration methods outlined below will result in all user data being wiped on your device. Before proceeding, and if possible, make a backup up any important files and media that you wish to preserve.
I. METHOD 1
PhoenixUSB Pro For Windows
PREREQUISITES:
For prerequisites, you will need a PC or laptop running on Windows 7/8.1/10/11, the latest PhoenixUSBPro v4.0.0 flash tool (I have provided a link below), the OEM-supplied or a quality equivalent micro USB to USB-A data sync cable, and a factory firmware image that corresponds with your tablet variant (links provided below). In this first section, we will be using PhoenixUSBPro v4.0.0 for Windows. This particular tool is ideal for firmware restoration on devices which are either bricked or otherwise unable to boot into the Android OS. Enabling USB Debugging beforehand is not required, as this tool recognizes the device and initiates firmware installation from a powered-off state, via FEL mode.
Also, this guide assumes that you have already installed the correct USB device drivers on your Windows computer.
FIRMWARE RESTORATION/UPGRADE
This will restore your device to its stock factory configuration, removing any system-level mods, root binaries, custom software, etc. These steps can also be followed to upgrade your firmware in the event you are running an older firmware build version.- Download PhoenixUSBPro v4.0.0 from the link below and extract the contents of the archived file to your computer desktop or to another directory which is easily accessible;
- Download the correct stock firmware package for your tablet variant from the link below and extract the firmware image (.img file) to a convenient directory on your computer;
- Power off your Scepter 8 tablet;
- In the directory where you extracted the flash tool, open PhoenixUSBPro.exe. Once it launches, click on the Image box in the upper left of the interface. A file explorer will be launched. Navigate to the directory where you saved the firmware image (.img file). Select the image and then click Open in the lower right section of the window;
- Now, click the Start button located in the upper section of the interface. A large green checkmark will appear in the upper right-hand corner, indicating that the firmware is now ready for installation;
- Connect the USB data sync cable to your computer, but not yet to your tablet. Ensuring it is powered off, hold the Volume Down key on your tablet and connect the data sync cable to the micro USB port. While continuing to hold Volume Down, tap the Power key continuously until PhoenixUSB Pro recognizes your device, then release Volume Down. You will know your device has been recognized by an on-screen prompt indicating that the firmware installation is initiating;
- The flashing process typically takes about four minutes. A progress bar on the PhoenixUSB Pro interface will show the percentage of completion in real time. When complete, you will see a green checkmark and a notification that the installation has finished;
- Now, close the PhoenixUSBPro flash tool and disconnect your tablet from your computer. That's it. Upon reboot, your tablet will be reverted to its stock factory state and running on an unmodified stock firmware build.
DOWNLOADS:
• 15-Second ADB Installer v1.5.6
• PhoenixUSB Pro v4.0.0
• PhoenixSuit v1.10
• LiveSuit v1.11
• PhoenixCard Image Burning Tool v4.2.4
• Allwinner USB Driver Installer v1.0.0
Factory Firmware Images
Gen 1 ModelsMD SERIAL NUMBER VARIANT
• Build: Scepter8_tablet_v11_20221213
CF SERIAL NUMBER VARIANT
• Build: Scepter8_tablet_v13_20221212
*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
Gen 2 Models CF SERIAL NUMBER VARIANT
• Build: Scepter8_Tablet_v03_20221126
MD SERIAL NUMBER VARIANT
• Build: Scepter8_Tablet_v01_20220915
$$ DONATIONS $$
I do not expressly request or expect donations from members for my work. I adhere firmly to the open source and free use spirit of the Android OS. With that said, for any members who want to donate something, it would be a huge help. Firmware images for both the Gen 1 & Gen 2 Scepter 8 tablet models were previously unreleased to the public. It took several weeks of discussions with Hot Pepper Mobile Tech Support and its CEO, Mr. Shawn Sun, to obtain official firmware images for this tablet.
This is my CashApp link where you can give as little as $1. For those unable to help financially, I understand. A tap on the thanks button, however, doesn't cost a thing.
PayPal Donation Link
CashApp Donation Link
II. METHOD 2
PhoenixSuit For Windows
PREREQUISITES:
As with the previous section, you will need a PC or laptop running Windows 7/8.1/10/11, the OEM-supplied or a quality equivalent micro USB to USB-A data syncing cable, the PhoenixSuit v1.10 flashing utility (link provided below), and a factory firmware image for your QLink Scepter 8 variant (links provided above). This section presumes that the correct USB device drivers are installed on your Windows computer. If you have not installed these, see my section above titled INSTALLING ALLWINNER USB DRIVERS, then return here once you have completed those instructions.
FIRMWARE RESTORATION/UPGRADE:- Download PhoenixSuit v1.10 from the link above and extract the contents of the archived file to your computer desktop, or to another directory which is easily accessible;
- Download the correct stock firmware package for your tablet variant from the link above, and extract the firmware image (.img file) to a convenient directory on your computer;
- Launch/Open PhoenixSuit by double clicking PhoenixSuit.exe from the directory you extracted in the first step;
- Click on the Firmware tab in the top section of the interface and click on the blue Image tab. Windows File Explorer will be launched; navigate to the location of the firmware .img file you downloaded and extracted in the second step;
- Power off your tablet;
- Connect your data sync cable to your PC but not to your tablet. Hold Volume Down and, while continuing to hold the key, connect the micro USB end of the data sync cable to your tablet. Now tap the Power button (up to ten times) until PhoenixSuit indicates recognition of your device;
- You will be prompted to perform a mandatory format. Select Yes to proceed;
- PhoenixSuit will initiate the firmware installation. Once complete, an Upgrade Firmware Succeed notification will be displayed. Press Ok to finish the process.
- Disconnect and reboot your device. . Your tablet should be now be restored to its factory stock state.
III. METHOD 3
LiveSuit For Windows
Like the previous two methods, LiveSuit is a proprietary NAND flash tool developed and released by Allwinner Technology. LiveSuit is available for the Windows, Mac and Linux operating system platforms. This particular guide, however, will focus strictly on a Windows setup. You can download LiveSuit for both the Mac and Linux platforms here: https://androidmtk.com/download-livesuit-all-versions
The tools available for download are trusted, verified, and have been thoroughly scanned for viruses and other types of malicious code. A comprehensive guide for using LiveSuit for Linux can be found here: https://linux-sunxi.org/LiveSuit
Without further ado,.let us proceed with LiveSuit for Windows.
PREREQUISITES:
Once again, you will need a PC or laptop running on Windows 7/8.1/10/11; the factory-supplied or a quality equivalent micro USB to USB-A data syncing cable; LiveSuitPack v1.11 (link available above); a firmware image compatible with your model/variant of the QLink Scepter 8 (links provided above); and the proper USB device drivers installed on your Windows computer. If you have not yet installed the driver's, follow my section above titled INSTALLING ALLWINNER USB DRIVERS. Return here after following those steps.
FIRMWARE RESTORATION/UPGRADE- Download LiveSuitPack v1.11 from the DOWNLOADS section above. Extract the contents of the archive to a folder on your desktop or to another convenient directory;
- Download a firmware package compatible with your model/variant of the Scepter 8. In the simplest terms, if your tablet shipped with Android 11 Go Edition, then you must use a firmware package that corresponds with the Android 11 Go Edition build. If you have the newer variant that shipped with Android 12 Go Edition, then use firmware from that heading only. Once downloaded, extract the .img firmware file from the archive and save it to your desktop or another easily accessible location;
- Open the LiveSuit flash tool by double clicking LiveSuitv1.11.exe in the directory you extracted in the first step. Once launched, select YES to follow the Upgrade Wizard;
- Click the Upgrade Mode tab and then select Mandatory;
- Disconnect any connected mobile devices from your computer, and select Next;
- Select the Yes option, then.Next, and select the firmware .img file you extracted in the second step. Now click Yes but do not select Finish;
- Ensure your tablet is powered off. Connect the data sync cable to your PC but not yet to your tablet. Hold the Volume Down button on your tablet. While continuing.to hold the botton, connect the micro USB end of the data sync cable to your tablet. Without releasing the Volume Down button, press the Power key 5 to 10 times, or until you are notified by LiveSuit that your tablet has been recognized. Click Yes to proceed with firmware installation;
- A progress bar on the LiveSuit interface will reflect the percentage of completion in real time. Once complete, an Upgrade Succeeds notification will be shown. Click Ok and then Exit.
- Reboot your tablet, which should now be restored to its stock factory state.
IV. METHOD 4
PhoenixCard for Windows
PREREQUISITES:
As referenced previously, PhoenixCard is an Allwinner proprietary tool for burning a factory firmware image onto an external storage medium such as a micro SD card. In turn, the micro SD card is inserted into the tablet's card slot. Once the tablet is powered on, the firmware image burned to the micro SD card will then be written to the tablet's eMMC flash storage, thus restoring the device to its stock factory condition
As you may have guessed, you will need a PC or laptop running Windows 7/8.1/10/11; a micro SD card with a recommended minimum capacity of 8 GB; a USB-type micro SD card reader/writer; a compatible factory firmware image for your tablet (links provided above); and the PhoenixCard v4.2.4 image burning tool (link provided above).
FIRMWARE RESTORATION/UPGRADE- Ensure that you have no external storage devices, mobile devices, or any other USB-type devices connected to your PC or laptop;
- Download a factory firmware image from the downloads section above that is compatible with your tablet variant. Save the image on your computer desktop or another convenient directory;
- Download the PhoenixCard v4.2.4 image burning tool onto your Windows computer. Extract the contents of the archive to a folder on your desktop or to another easily accessible location;
- Double click PhoenixCard.exe to launch the tool;
- Place your micro SD card into a suitable card reader/writer and connect it to your PC or laptop;.
- Click on the Img File box located in the upper-left section of the PhoenixCard interface;
- Select the firmware image (.img file) you downloaded in the second step;
- Click the box marked Burn in the lower left section of the interface. The firmware image will be burned to the micro SD card. The process can take from 5 to 10 minutes to complete, at which time the output window of the interface will indicate Burn End;
- Remove the micro SD card from the card reader and insert it into the micro SD card slot of your QLink Scepter 8.tablet. Ensure that your tablet is powered off;
- To begin the firmware installation process, long press your power button. Your tablet display will show a progress bar indicating that the firmware image on the micro SD card is being written to eMMC flash memory;
- Once the process is complete, remove the micro SD card from your tablet and boot the device normally.
Upon reboot, your QLink Scepter 8 should be restored to its factory stock state.
3Firmware builds for all models & variants are now available via the download links in the OP. The remaining dead links will be fixed very shortly .3
Does your serial number begin with CF? If so, you can use any firmware from the Android 12 "CF" heading. I will be repairing all firmware links tonight, as well as links to the root boot images.22
Lol. I am not a windows user. So I honestly have no idea. It's a mini acer laptop that I keep in a drawer lmao
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