Xiaomi A1 Hard Bricked: QFIL gives ERROR: 1. Too many XML files in XMLStringTable

[verstraetep]

Hello All,

I need some help to restore my Xiaomi A1 which is now hard bricked for one months.
The phone was functioning perfectly well with Android 7.1 Stock Roms when I left it.
Next time I try to use it, the phone was off and would not boot, no reaction to any buttons.
Only LED blinking when plugged on a charger so I guess it entered into EDL mode.
When connecting to a PC, the phone is recognised as Qualcomm HS-USB QDLoader 9008.

I tried many potential solutions:
- opened the phone, unplug the battery for few minutes: no improvement.

Tried flashing with MiFlash: got the following error.

MiFlash Error Log:
[1:48:24 AM COM3]:sw in images
[1:48:24 AM COM3]:flash in thread name:COM3,id:15
[1:48:24 AM COM3]:[COM3]:start flash.
[1:48:24 AM COM3]:received hello packet
[1:48:24 AM COM3]rogrammertype: 0
[1:48:24 AM COM3]:vboytest:C:\Users\IEUser\Downloads\tissot_images_7.9.21_7.1\images
[1:48:24 AM COM3]:download programmer file: C:\Users\IEUser\Downloads\tissot_images_7.9.21_7.1\images\prog_emmc_firehose_8953_ddr.mbn
[1:48:24 AM COM3]:download programmer C:\Users\IEUser\Downloads\tissot_images_7.9.21_7.1\images\prog_emmc_firehose_8953_ddr.mbn
[1:48:30 AM COM3]:Send done packet
[1:48:30 AM COM3]:file C:\Users\IEUser\Downloads\tissot_images_7.9.21_7.1\images\prog_emmc_firehose_8953_ddr.mbn transferred successfully
[1:48:33 AM COM3]:send nop command
[1:48:33 AM COM3]:send command:<?xml version="1.0" ?><data><nop verbose="0" value="ping"/></data>
[1:48:35 AM COM3]:write time out try agian 1
[1:48:37 AM COM3]:write time out try agian 2
[1:48:40 AM COM3]:write time out try agian 3
[1:48:42 AM COM3]:write time out try agian 4
[1:48:45 AM COM3]:write time out try agian 5
[1:48:47 AM COM3]:write time out try agian 6
[1:48:49 AM COM3]:write time out try agian 7
[1:48:50 AM COM3]:error:The write timed out.
[1:48:50 AM COM3]:System.Exception: write time out,maybe device was disconnected.


Then I tried flashing with QFIL: I think I managed to go further in the process but I ended up with the following error:
"ERROR: GenerateSparseXMLTags:2872 1. Too many XML files in XMLStringTable, max is 77690240"
I googled this error message but found nothing.

Have you ever heard about such QFIL error?!?

Thank you in advance for your help!

 

[TheAlmigthyOne]

Hey!

My tips for you are:
1. Install the latest Qualcomm Drivers(you can find tutorials on the internet):https://gsmusbdrivers.com/download/qualcomm-hs-usb-qdloader-9008-driver-64-bit-windows/
2. Download the latest ROM,why do you want to install Android 7.1?Install the Android 9.Here's the latest Android 9 Official ROM I found:https://bigota.d.miui.com/V10.0.23....0.PDHMIXM_20200707.0000.00_9.0_b49c1d0e32.tgz
3. In MiFlash,after you selected the folder with the images,hold the power button for 10 seconds,release it,and press Flash

It should help you unbrick your device.Wish you success!