Mi8 unlock sucessful, but bootloader stillocked

[p-we]

I just waited 360 hours and unlocked a new Mi8 dipper as I have done with 5 Xiaomi phones previously. Everything looks normal. MiUI v10 says it is unlocked. With USB debugging activated the device code shows up with the 'adb devices' command. However when it comes to actually modifying the bootloader in Fastboot mode things look very locked in place. In the terminal console 'abd devices' command shows no devices. Similarly when trying to load TWRP with 'fastboot flash recovery TWRP. img' command it searches to find no device and ends with a fault. I have tried with 3 different USB-C cables on three different PC's. Two with Windows 10 with ADB tools and another on current ArchLinux with 4.20 kernel and ADB tools.

Incidentally, my wife has an untouched and therefore unlocked Pocophone F1. It does the same thing as above.

Has anyone heard of such a tbing? Is it possible that Xiaomi thinks this phone has been unlocked when in fact the bootloader is still locked?

As far as a fix goes,the unlock tool says its locked and won't try again to unlock it. This would be utterly painful were it not for Lawnchair launcher coming to the user experience rescue.

 

[khanhdx]

It is your computer, try to reinstall adn, driver, etc,..
If bootloader is locked, you still can type fastboot devices, but cannot flash anything with the error that you dont have permission to edit partiton.

 

[p-we]

It is your computer, try to reinstall adn, driver, etc,..
If bootloader is locked, you still can type fastboot devices, but cannot flash anything with the error that you dont have permission to edit partiton.

Thanks. Will try again in different variations. A few questions:

1. Is it advisable or not advisable to use a USBv3 or 3.1 port instead of USBv2 ?

2. I have tried a few different Windows 10 drivers from various sources. Can you recommend any specific driver for Xiaomi?

Thanks for helping. I will be very disappointed if I can't mod this phone.

 

[khanhdx]

Thanks. Will try again in different variations. A few questions:

1. Is it advisable or not advisable to use a USBv3 or 3.1 port instead of USBv2 ?

2. I have tried a few different Windows 10 drivers from various sources. Can you recommend any specific driver for Xiaomi?

Thanks for helping. I will be very disappointed if I can't mod this phone.

I think no different between USB2 and USB3 in this case.
Try uninstall all driver and app related to xiaomi.
Then Disable Signed Driver Enforcement.
Then install latest Miflash: http://en.miui.com/a-234.html (file at step 1)
Then open Mi Unlock folder (the one u found MiUnlock.exe), hold Shift + right click, select open PowerShell here.
Type cmd, enter.
Reboot phone to fastboot, connect to pc.
Type fastboot devices, enter.

 

[p-we]

I think no different between USB2 and USB3 in this case.
Try uninstall all driver and app related to xiaomi.
Then Disable Signed Driver Enforcement.
Then install latest Miflash: http://en.miui.com/a-234.html (file at step 1)
Then open Mi Unlock folder (the one u found MiUnlock.exe), hold Shift + right click, select open PowerShell here.
Type cmd, enter.
Reboot phone to fastboot, connect to pc.
Type fastboot devices, enter.

I think I'm close. I installed MIFlash and installed drivers. I now see the device ID in Windows PowerShell in fastboot mode which I did not have before:
C:\Users\wdirk\Downloads\miflash_unlock-en-3.3.827.31\miflash_unlock_en_3.3.827.31>fastboot devices
46265bfe fastboot

But when I enter 'fastboot flash recovery twrp.img' (the twrp.img file is in the same directory), the phone immediately goes to another mode (no fastboot logo with very small text on top left of screen) and nothing happens. So fastboot sees the device but will not write twrp recovery. Ideas?

So I tried Minimal ADB and Fastboot again. Positive that the device shows up:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Minimal ADB and Fastboot>fastboot devices
46265bfe fastboot

But goes into blank screen with very small text on top left with more inforation this time:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Minimal ADB and Fastboot>fastboot flash recovery twrp.img
target didn't report max-download-size
sending 'recovery' (41796 KB)...
FAILED (command write failed (No error))
finished. total time: -0.000s

 

[khanhdx]

I think I'm close. I installed MIFlash and installed drivers. I now see the device ID in Windows PowerShell in fastboot mode which I did not have before:
C:\Users\wdirk\Downloads\miflash_unlock-en-3.3.827.31\miflash_unlock_en_3.3.827.31>fastboot devices
46265bfe fastboot

But when I enter 'fastboot flash recovery twrp.img' (the twrp.img file is in the same directory), the phone immediately goes to another mode (no fastboot logo with very small text on top left of screen) and nothing happens. So fastboot sees the device but will not write twrp recovery. Ideas?

So I tried Minimal ADB and Fastboot again. Positive that the device shows up:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Minimal ADB and Fastboot>fastboot devices
46265bfe fastboot

But goes into blank screen with very small text on top left with more inforation this time:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Minimal ADB and Fastboot>fastboot flash recovery twrp.img
target didn't report max-download-size
sending 'recovery' (41796 KB)...
FAILED (command write failed (No error))
finished. total time: -0.000s

I never face any case like this. So maybe i can help you.

 

[ShafiX94]

Try install different version of TWRP maybe can help..

 

[p-we]

Try install different version of TWRP maybe can help..

Very strange but I followed your steps on another PC in exactly the same way and now it has flashed TWRP successfully. It did require using blue USB3 port
Thank-you! :good:

 

[neuTrue]

Glade to hear you solved it.
For the record: I had the exact same problem as yours. If I recall correctly, the only thing I had to do was to rename the recovery file to: recovery.img then wait a minute or so. Which is strange, but worked.
First tried to boot Pitchblack recovery when it succeeded then tried it with TWRP (recovery.img).

 

[p-we]

If anyone finds themselves here. Go to https://xdaforums.com/mi-8/how-to/guide-to-issues-flashing-unlocked-mi8-t3911389

 

[tsongming]

If anyone finds themselves here. Go to https://xdaforums.com/mi-8/how-to/guide-to-issues-flashing-unlocked-mi8-t3911389

I am glad that you sorted your issue.
But I can assure you that the issue was strictly caused by your PC. It truly should not matter which USB port you use. We have 3 Mi8 in our house and I have unlocked 2 of them using an older laptop with a broken usb 3.0 port.

For the benefit of others who may experience this issue.

1. Always. remove peripheral devices from the PC such as an external hard drive, when perform tasks such as unlocking the bootloader or unbricking a phone.
2. Windows should be up to date and I can tell you that professionally, we absolutely require that people temporarily disable windows defender and antivirus when attempting to resolve these kinds of issues, as you are indeed affecting the bootloader of the device.
3. Windows antivirus will often remove files that it miscategorises as a virus. In example, if you attempt to download and install the All In One Tool, windows defender will neuter the software 90% of the time.