[Solved] GSI Installation — Finally booted!!!

[nielsync]

Hi guys, this is my first time owning a Redmi/Xiaomi with a MediaTek SOC (G80). The device was released with Android 10 so it definitely supports Project Treble. My experience with booting GSIs on Qualcomm Snapdragon devices is straightforward but I attempted the same on the Redmi 9 and I noted the following things:

With no kernel sources released, no stable custom recovery to customize my Redmi 9, I went the GSI route via the standard fastboot commands in the bootloader before I discovered that it uses fastbootd instead to flash the system image. Phew! Also the Redmi 9 (lancelot) is compatible with arm64-ab GSIs.

UPDATE 1: GSI booted. Current custom recoveries cannot be used to flash GSIs on devices launched with Q because the system partition is logical and can only be flashed through fastbootd.

UPDATE 2:First successful boot at post #33. I wanted us to share ideas to make it possible for those interested to boot GSIs.

UPDATE 3: Some screenshots are attached below. Go to the guide for how to install.

 

[Shas45558]

Hi guys, this is my first time owning a Redmi/Xiaomi with a MediaTek SOC (G80). The device was released with Android 10 so it definitely supports Project Treble. My experience with booting GSIs on Qualcomm Snapdragon devices is straightforward but I attempted the same on the Redmi 9 and I encountered the following things:

• With no kernel sources released, no stable custom recovery, I went the GSI route via fastboot.
• Flashing the vbmeta.img and running fastboot flash system system.img gives an error so i experimented with fastboot flash super system.img which worked without giving any errors. My understanding is the super partition contains more than just the system partition.
• Despite successfully flashing the system image as the "super" image, I was unable to boot none of the arm64-ab GSIs I tried which included AOSP 10.0 v222 by @phhusson, Havoc-OS-v3.8 by @SKULSHADY and LineageOS 17.1-20200808 by @AndyYan
• Lastly, this device being an MTK is very easy to brick!

Anyone successfully booted? Share your experience here with me.

You should not play with your device because this device is MediaTek processor device. I already broke my phone twice and I have to go to service centre my luck was good because I do not have to to pay any money but I learn that I never play with my device

 

[nielsync]

[Update]:
This device launched with Android Q with dynamic partitions within the super partition and a relocated fastboot implementation from bootloader to user space. Theoretically to flash a GSI, boot into fastbootd from the bootloader by running the commands as below [Only proceed if you know what you are doing!!!]:

fastboot reboot fastboot
fastboot flash system system.img
fastboot -w
fastboot erase userdata (if this command doesn't work type fastboot reboot bootloader then fastboot erase userdata)
fastboot reboot

As a result of restoring my bricked device after flashing an unstable custom recovery, my bootloader relocked and therefore can't run above commands now to test if they work. I'll try again after 336 hours!

 

[Shas45558]

[Update]:
This device launched with Android Q with dynamic partitions within the super partition and a relocated fastboot implementation from bootloader to user space. Theoretically to flash a GSI, boot into fastbootd from the bootloader by running the commands as below [Only proceed if you know what you are doing!!!]:

fastboot reboot fastboot
fastboot flash system system.img
fastboot -w
fastboot erase userdata (if this command doesn't work type fastboot reboot bootloader then fastboot erase userdata)
fastboot reboot

As a result of restoring my bricked device after flashing an unstable custom recovery, my bootloader relocked and therefore can't run above commands now to test if they work. I'll try again after 336 hours!

Ok i also wait for you...in my case i get 7 day wait time.....after your waiting time finished you should try as follow

Fastboot earse system
Fastboot flash system system.img.
Fastboot flash vbmeta vbmeta.img(download vbmeta.img from this post..it is important to disable Android verified boot.

You can warp data first or latter this prossess...

But i confused what type gsi should download.
A/b or a only....
I know our device does not support a/b. But it use system as root....

 

[nielsync]

Ok i also wait for you...in my case i get 7 day wait time.....after your waiting time finished you should try as follow

Fastboot earse system
Fastboot flash system system.img.
Fastboot flash vbmeta vbmeta.img(download vbmeta.img from this post..it is important to disable Android verified boot.

You can warp data first or latter this prossess...

But i confused what type gsi should download.
A/b or a only....
I know our device does not support a/b. But it use system as root....

The above commands can only run after booting into fastbootd apart from "fastboot flash vbmeta" due to the partitioning of the Redmi 9 and other devices launched with Android 10 that come with a SUPER partition that includes the SYSTEM, VENDOR and PRODUCT images. When you boot into fastbootd your device will be listed as "lancelot" in Device Manager under "other devices". Just make sure you have latest Xiaomi drivers and running fastboot commands via the latest Android Platform Tools. Use arm64 A/B GSIs even though it doesn't support seamless updates. I am still waiting for the bootloader unlock to start enjoying

 

[Shas45558]

The above commands can only run after booting into fastbootd apart from "fastboot flash vbmeta" due to the partitioning of the Redmi 9 and other devices launched with Android 10 that come with a SUPER partition that includes the SYSTEM, VENDOR and PRODUCT images. When you boot into fastbootd your device will be listed as "lancelot" in Device Manager under "other devices". Just make sure you have latest Xiaomi drivers and running fastboot commands via the latest Android Platform Tools. Use arm64 A/B GSIs even though it doesn't support seamless updates. I am still waiting for the bootloader unlock to start enjoying

Tnx for great answer...
But why we use a/b gsi image file when our device does not support seamless updated??

Our device has a slot only

 

[nielsync]

Tnx for great answer...
But why we use a/b gsi image file when our device does not support seamless updated??

Our device has a slot only

Well I can't give a technical answer but I've come to realize that not all system-as-root devices support A/B partitioning but all A/B devices are definitely system as root! Similarly the Redmi 8a (a64-a/b) and 8 (arm64-a/b) also boot A/B GSIs. I say this after flashing GSIs on both devices in the past before I got the Redmi 9. I'm a Redmi boy :good:

 

[Shas45558]

Well I can't give a technical answer but I've come to realize that not all system-as-root devices support A/B partitioning but all A/B devices are definitely system as root! Similarly the Redmi 8a (a64-a/b) and 8 (arm64-a/b) also boot A/B GSIs. I say this after flashing GSIs on both devices in the past before I got the Redmi 9. I'm a Redmi boy :good:

It is very great bro... I already broke my phone two time and I have to go to service centre. I was lucky because they do not take any money from me. When your waiting time is over then you flash gsi rom... And if you successfully boot your device then you you must share the process how you do it... I am very excited To use a gsi rom in my device...with out break it again... Because this time I think if I break my device
Then I have to pay the service centre


You should not flash unofficial TWRP recovery because our redmi 9 source code not published yet so the recovery has some problem and if you flash IT again your device is broke again. So I think fastboot method is safe for us

 

[nielsync]

It is very great bro... I already broke my phone two time and I have to go to service centre. I was lucky because they do not take any money from me. When your waiting time is over then you flash gsi rom... And if you successfully boot your device then you you must share the process how you do it... I am very excited To use a gsi rom in my device...with out break it again... Because this time I think if I break my device
Then I have to pay the service centre


You should not flash unofficial TWRP recovery because our redmi 9 source code not published yet so the recovery has some problem and if you flash IT again your device is broke again. So I think fastboot method is safe for us

You are right. Flashing that recovery caused me problems too and that's why my bootloader got locked again after restoring. Before that I tried everything to flash a GSI but could not boot. So I tried installing the GSI via that recovery and kaput

 

[Shas45558]

You are right. Flashing that recovery caused me problems too and that's why my bootloader got locked again after restoring. Before that I tried everything to flash a GSI but could not boot. So I tried installing the GSI via that recovery and kaput

That's mean we have to wait when stable recovery made for our device....

It took forever

 

[nielsync]

We may be out of luck with the kernel sources. Last I checked, Xiaomi had also not released sources for the Redmi Note 9 series so at least we are not alone. With no hope for Xiaomi EU ROMS, booting a GSI is now our only hope of customizing our device. The problem is, it has not happened yet. @Shas45558 maybe you will be the hero who boots the GSI

 

[Shas45558]

We may be out of luck with the kernel sources. Last I checked, Xiaomi had also not released sources for the Redmi Note 9 series so at least we are not alone. With no hope for Xiaomi EU ROMS, booting a GSI is now our only hope of customizing our device. The problem is, it has not happened yet. @Shas45558 maybe you will be the hero who boots the GSI

Ha ha ha......

 

[nielsync]

Ha ha ha......

You are the most active guy in the Redmi 9 forums :good:
So moving forward I need you to try and boot a GSI on this phone. This post on Mi Community is helpful in understanding our device partition structure.
I think its fairly safe to boot a GSI because the stock recovery is actually maintained. The problem for me was the unofficial TWRP that caused my device to brick.

 

[Shas45558]

You are the most active guy in the Redmi 9 forums :good:
So moving forward I need you to try and boot a GSI on this phone. This post on Mi Community is helpful in understanding our device partition structure.
I think its fairly safe to boot a GSI because the stock recovery is actually maintained. The problem for me was the unofficial TWRP that caused my device to brick.

Fastboot and fastbootd are not same...
But how i understand that my device is boot into fastbootd mood not fastboot mood....

Is their any secret key combination to go to fastbootd??

I think twrp methods is lot easier....but unfortunately we have not get stable twrp as soon ...

 

[nielsync]

Fastboot and fastbootd are not same...
But how i understand that my device is boot into fastbootd mood not fastboot mood....

Is their any secret key combination to go to fastbootd??

I think twrp methods is lot easier....but unfortunately we have not get stable twrp as soon ...

Sure with official TWRP life would be easy because you can also easily flash the dm-verity and forceencrypt disabler zip otherwise the device fails to boot even when you follow steps correctly. There's no key combination for fastbootd as far as I know. You have to use a command.

To enter fastbootd, run the following commands;
adb reboot fastboot (to boot into the bootloader)
fastboot reboot fastboot (to boot into fastbootd)
For the device to be recognized in Windows 10 you need to manually install unsigned Xiaomi drivers as shown here and after continue with the commands below;
fastboot flash system name_of_system_image.img
fastboot reboot recovery (and format data using MIUI recovery)
fastboot reboot (fingers crossed )

This post from the Redmi Note 9S may be helpful. The difference is that device has a Snapdragon processor as opposed to ours which is a MediaTek.

 

[Shas45558]

https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=83503955&postcount=1

Read this....

 

[nielsync]

https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=83503955&postcount=1

Read this....

Yeah I've seen it, thanks. That looks more promising than the first one. I haven't tested it yet but I'll do so as soon as I can on my own device. Have you tried it yourself though?

 

[Shas45558]

Yeah I've seen it, thanks. That looks more promising than the first one. I haven't tested it yet but I'll do so as soon as I can on my own device. Have you tried it yourself though?

No i afraid to try.....u should try because you can restore your device...i can restore also but my laptop has some problem so do not want to take risk and unoffical is unofficial .....
And i think it is for chaina rom...ii use redmi 9 prime rom....

 

[nielsync]

I'm still waiting a few more days now before I can unlock my bootloader. Can't wait to test it and use it to flash a GSI. The device you helped me root yesterday is also a Redmi 9 but wasn't mine and I can't mess around with someone else phone

 

[Abdul [email protected]]

I'm still waiting a few more days now before I can unlock my bootloader. Can't wait to test it and use it to flash a GSI. The device you helped me root yesterday is also a Redmi 9 but wasn't mine and I can't mess around with someone else phone

I have also a waiting time of 98 hrs so im also here to help u all and flash gsi.Also theres a new for ya'll that PTRB RECOVERY is being tested nd booted also without any problem so jus wait some time nd stable version will be released .