doc:appunti:hardware:xiaomi_mi_a1
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doc:appunti:hardware:xiaomi_mi_a1 [2019/04/12 11:40] – [How to Gain root Privileges] niccolo | doc:appunti:hardware:xiaomi_mi_a1 [2019/11/09 14:48] – [Upgrading the Operating System] niccolo | ||
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====== Xiaomi Mi A1 Android Phone ====== | ====== Xiaomi Mi A1 Android Phone ====== | ||
+ | {{: | ||
+ | {{: | ||
+ | {{: | ||
+ | {{: | ||
+ | {{: | ||
^ RAM | 3.8 Gb | | ^ RAM | 3.8 Gb | | ||
Line 8: | Line 13: | ||
^ Connector | ^ Connector | ||
^ Audio jack | 3.5 mm | | ^ Audio jack | 3.5 mm | | ||
+ | ^ A/B (Seamless) System Updates | ||
===== How to Gain root Privileges ===== | ===== How to Gain root Privileges ===== | ||
Line 63: | Line 68: | ||
< | < | ||
adb shell | adb shell | ||
- | tissot_sprout:/ | + | tissot_sprout:/ |
- | /dev/block/platform/soc/ | + | |
- | cd / | + | |
- | ls -l | + | |
... | ... | ||
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 21 1970-07-10 05:23 boot_a -> / | lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 21 1970-07-10 05:23 boot_a -> / | ||
Line 73: | Line 75: | ||
</ | </ | ||
- | The meaning is: search into **/dev/** for a directory named " | + | The meaning is: search into **/dev/ |
Now we need to **boot** into an environment where we have **root privileges**, | Now we need to **boot** into an environment where we have **root privileges**, | ||
< | < | ||
- | adb reboot-bootloader | + | adb reboot bootloader |
</ | </ | ||
Line 109: | Line 111: | ||
< | < | ||
- | adb reboot-bootloader | + | adb reboot bootloader |
fastboot boot recovery-3.2.1-2-oreo.img | fastboot boot recovery-3.2.1-2-oreo.img | ||
</ | </ | ||
Line 115: | Line 117: | ||
Once that TWRP is started on the phone, swipe to allow writing to the partitions, then choose **Install** and browse to the **Twrp-recoveryInstaller-3.2.1-2-oreo.zip** archive. | Once that TWRP is started on the phone, swipe to allow writing to the partitions, then choose **Install** and browse to the **Twrp-recoveryInstaller-3.2.1-2-oreo.zip** archive. | ||
- | After the installation, | + | After the installation, |
Beware of this: | Beware of this: | ||
{{ .: | {{ .: | ||
- | * **Do not swap Slot A and Slot B**. Some recipes found on the internet say to do that in TWRP (it is from the Reboot menu). I tried it and it was a nightmare! The Reboot menu was stating that the Slot B were active, so I switched to Slot A and installed TWRP. At the next reboot I got a non-working environment: | + | * **Do not swap Slot A and Slot B**. Some recipes found on the internet say to do that in TWRP (it is from the Reboot menu). I tried it and it was a nightmare! The Reboot menu was stating that the Slot B were active, so I switched to Slot A and installed TWRP. At the next reboot I got a non-working environment: |
* **Do not veryfy the ZIP archive**. The archive does not have the required info to check. | * **Do not veryfy the ZIP archive**. The archive does not have the required info to check. | ||
- | * **Do not wipe the Dalvik cache after the install**. Don't know if it was the culprit, but after installing TWRP, I clicked the button to wipe Dalvik cache, at the next reboot I had a damaged system. The **home button did not work**, the Developer options were no longer availables (// | + | * **Do not wipe the Dalvik cache after the install**. Don't know if it was the culprit, but after installing TWRP, I clicked the button to wipe Dalvik cache, at the next reboot I had a damaged system. The **home button did not work**, the Developer options were no longer availables (// |
==== Install Magisk, the SuperUser Tool ==== | ==== Install Magisk, the SuperUser Tool ==== | ||
{{ .: | {{ .: | ||
- | When rooting an Android device we generally need the **su** binary program (the actual Unix tool used to switch from normal user to root), plus an **app to manage superuser permissions** granted (or denied) to other applications. Historically the most known app for this purpose was **SuperSU** by Chainfire, but something changed. Chainfire [[https:// | + | When rooting an Android device we generally need the **su** binary program (the actual Unix tool used to switch from normal user to root), plus an **app to manage superuser permissions** granted (or denied) to other applications. Historically the most known app for this purpose was **SuperSU** by Chainfire, but something changed. Chainfire [[https:// |
- | The first step is to install the ZIP archive which provides the **su** binary, we already copied the **Magisk-v17.3.zip** file to the phone storag. Let's reboot into TWRP Recovery executing from the connected PC the following command: | + | The first step is to install the ZIP archive which provides the **su** binary, we already copied the **Magisk-v17.3.zip** file to the phone storage. Let's reboot into TWRP Recovery executing from the connected PC the following command: |
< | < | ||
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===== Fastboot Mode ===== | ===== Fastboot Mode ===== | ||
- | Once in Recovery Menu, you can boot into the **Fastboot Mode** using the menu entry //Reboot to bootloader// | + | In Android, **fastboot** is a special diagnostic protocol that you can boot your Android device |
- | < | + | You can start fastboot mode in severl ways: |
- | adb reboot bootloader | + | |
- | </code> | + | * Power off the phone, then press **VolumeDown + Power** buttons together, untill vibration. |
+ | * Executing the **adb reboot bootloader** command on a PC when the phone is booted normally and connected via the USB cable. It is required to enable | ||
+ | * From the **stock Recovery** menu, choosing the entry **Reboot to bootloader**. | ||
+ | * From the **TWRP Recovery**, choosing **Reboot** menu, then **Bootloader**. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The Xiaomi Mi A1 will show the following image when in fastboot mode: | ||
{{.: | {{.: | ||
+ | |||
+ | To control the fastboot mode of the phone, you have to install the **fastboot** command on your PC. On a Debian GNU/Linux install the **fastboot 8.1.0** package. **NOTICE**: Version 7.0.0 is not reccomended, | ||
+ | |||
+ | Here are some commands that can be used in fastboot mode: | ||
< | < | ||
- | adb devices | + | fastboot help |
- | List of devices | + | fastboot |
- | 574524d99913 | + | fastboot boot recovery-3.2.1-2-oreo.img |
+ | fastboot flash boot_b boot_b.img | ||
+ | fastboot oem unlock | ||
+ | fastboot set_active b | ||
+ | fastboot reboot | ||
</ | </ | ||
Line 236: | Line 251: | ||
===== Upgrading Android maintaining root privileges ===== | ===== Upgrading Android maintaining root privileges ===== | ||
- | In April 2019 my phone still was running the following: | + | In November |
* **Android 8.1.0** - Patch 2018-10-05 | * **Android 8.1.0** - Patch 2018-10-05 | ||
Line 243: | Line 258: | ||
* **TWRP 3.2.1-2** | * **TWRP 3.2.1-2** | ||
- | MagiskManager warns about the availability of **Magisk | + | MagiskManager warns about the availability of **Magisk |
==== Upgrade Magisk and MagiskManager ==== | ==== Upgrade Magisk and MagiskManager ==== | ||
- | - Copy the **[[https:// | + | - Copy the **[[https:// |
+ | - Copy the **[[https:// | ||
- Reboot into TWRP recovery. I used the **adb reboot recovery** command from the PC, but you can use the **VolumeUp + Power** trick. | - Reboot into TWRP recovery. I used the **adb reboot recovery** command from the PC, but you can use the **VolumeUp + Power** trick. | ||
- | - From the TWRP menu, choose **Install** and search for the Magisk-v19.0.zip archive. | + | - From the TWRP menu, choose **Install** and search for the Magisk-v20.1.zip archive. |
- I choosed not to verify the zip archive and not to reboot the phone, so I had time to read the output of the command. Everything seemed OK, so I finally **rebooted**. | - I choosed not to verify the zip archive and not to reboot the phone, so I had time to read the output of the command. Everything seemed OK, so I finally **rebooted**. | ||
- | - Once rebooted in normal system, | + | - Once rebooted in normal system, |
+ | |||
+ | ==== Upgrading the Operating System ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | The phone automatically warns about the availability of an **OTA (On The Air) Upgrade**. You can also check for upgrades availability by tapping // | ||
+ | |||
+ | If you allow downloading | ||
+ | |||
+ | - You have installed **Magisk SU** or **TWRP Recovery**. These software are installed into the boot partition, either **boot_a** or **boot_b** partition. The installation of Magisk patches only the active boot partition, whereas TWRP will patches (install | ||
+ | - You have used **su** to modify the **/system** partition. If you have **re-mounted** /system in **read/ | ||
+ | |||
+ | The upgrade process will fail with a warning message **Couldn’t update - Installation problem** (in Italian: // | ||
+ | |||
+ | To escape from the first condition, it is sufficient to **restore the boot partition** from the original backup. You will loose root and TWRP Recovery, but you can reinstall them after the upgrade. If you have just installed Magisk, uninstalling it should be sufficient and rather simple. Start the Magisk Manager app, disable and uninstall all the modules (if any) and reboot. Then run Magisk Manager again and choose to uninstall it completely. But if you have installed also TWRP you have to recover from a backup image. This is the recipe to run from a PC command line (supposing that **active partition is B** and that you have the original **boot_b.img** dump): | ||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | adb reboot bootloader | ||
+ | fastboot flash boot_b boot_b.img | ||
+ | fastboot reboot | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | Allowing automatic OTA upgrade after **tampering the /system partition** is more painful: you have to **restore system partition** by flashing it in fastboot mode. Obviously you need the original **system.img** file, either from your own backup or from factory ROM archive. Fortunately enough Xiaomi provides full stock ROM archives of the various versions. Look at this **[[https:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | Once you extracted the system.img file from the archive, boot in fastboot mode and execute the following from an attached PC (once again your **active partition is B**): | ||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | fastboot flash system_b system.img | ||
+ | fastboot reboot | ||
+ | </code> | ||
+ | ==== The OTA Update ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | When the phone downloads an OTA upgrade, it will save it into the **/ | ||
+ | |||
+ | The file is actualy a Jar archive. The jar executable is provided by the Debian package **openjdk-8-jdk-headless** (or whatever version of Java you have), and you can use it in this way: | ||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | mkdir update | ||
+ | cd update | ||
+ | jar -xf ../update.zip | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | The main content is a **payload.bin**, | ||
- | FIXME Write how to complete the upgrade! | ||
===== Web References ===== | ===== Web References ===== | ||
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* [[https:// | * [[https:// | ||
* [[https:// | * [[https:// | ||
+ | * [[https:// | ||
* [[https:// | * [[https:// | ||
* [[https:// | * [[https:// |
doc/appunti/hardware/xiaomi_mi_a1.txt · Last modified: 2020/09/23 17:06 by niccolo