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 [2020/09/23 17:06] (current) – [August 2020 security update] niccolo | ||
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====== Xiaomi Mi A1 Android Phone ====== | ====== Xiaomi Mi A1 Android Phone ====== | ||
+ | {{: | ||
+ | {{: | ||
+ | {{: | ||
+ | {{: | ||
+ | {{: | ||
^ RAM | 3.8 Gb | | ^ RAM | 3.8 Gb | | ||
^ Internal Memory | ^ Internal Memory | ||
^ CPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 2.0GHz 8-core | ^ CPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 2.0GHz 8-core | ||
+ | ^ Architecture | ||
^ Screen | ^ Screen | ||
^ 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 69: | ||
< | < | ||
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 76: | ||
</ | </ | ||
- | 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 112: | ||
< | < | ||
- | 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 118: | ||
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: |
< | < | ||
Line 148: | Line 151: | ||
When an app requires root privileges, the Magisk management app will show a pop-up on the phone, allowing to grant or deny the permission, so be sure that the phone is not in screen-locked mode. | When an app requires root privileges, the Magisk management app will show a pop-up on the phone, allowing to grant or deny the permission, so be sure that the phone is not in screen-locked mode. | ||
===== Recovery Mode ===== | ===== Recovery Mode ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Android devices have a feature called **Android Recovery Mode**, which allows users to fix some problems. Technically, | ||
+ | |||
+ | To enter the Recover mode you can follow one of this ways: | ||
* **Power Off** the phone. | * **Power Off** the phone. | ||
* Press **VolumeUp + Power**, wait about 3 seconds for the Mi logo screen. | * Press **VolumeUp + Power**, wait about 3 seconds for the Mi logo screen. | ||
- | | + | |
+ | If you have installed the TWRP Recovery, its main screen will appear. If you have the stock ROM Recovery you have to: | ||
+ | |||
+ | | ||
* Press **Power + VolumeUp** shortly, the Recovery menu will appear. | * Press **Power + VolumeUp** shortly, the Recovery menu will appear. | ||
Line 157: | Line 167: | ||
{{.: | {{.: | ||
- | ===== Fastboot Mode ===== | + | When the phone is booted |
- | + | ||
- | Once in Recovery Menu, you can boot into the **Fastboot Mode** using the menu entry //Reboot to bootloader// | + | |
< | < | ||
- | adb reboot | + | adb reboot |
</ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | ===== Fastboot Mode ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | In Android, **fastboot** is a special diagnostic protocol that you can boot your Android device into. While in fastboot, you can modify the file system images from a computer over a USB connection. | ||
+ | |||
+ | You can start fastboot mode in severl ways: | ||
+ | |||
+ | * 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 //USB debugging// on the phone and to authorize the PC on the phone pop-up, once connected. | ||
+ | * 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 266: | ||
===== 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 273: | ||
* **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 | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | ==== 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 ../ | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | The main content is a **payload.bin**, | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===== March 2020 security update ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | In March 2020 Xiaomi released a new security update, according to this post **[[https:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | I performed the upgrade re-installing **TWRP** and **Magisk** afterward. The starting conditions were: | ||
+ | |||
+ | * A/B System Updates status: **Current Slot: B** (checked via TWRP => Reboot screen). | ||
+ | * Bootloader is **unlocked**. | ||
+ | * Installed O.S.: Android: 9, Build number: **PKQ1.180917.001.V10.0.14.0.PDHMIXM** (check from Impostazioni => Sistema => Informazioni sul telefono). | ||
+ | * From //Impostazioni// | ||
+ | * **Magisk** v20.1 and **TWRP** 3.3.0 were installed into **boot partition** (Slot B). | ||
+ | * **System partition** was the stock one: root privileges were never used to tamper the **/system** hierarchy. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The system upgrade will **verify** the **boot** and the **system** partitions before attempting the installation, | ||
+ | |||
+ | I restored the stock **boot_b.img** image (saved before TWRP and Magisk), using the ADB commands from a connected PC: | ||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | adb reboot bootloader | ||
+ | fastboot flash boot_b boot_b.img | ||
+ | fastboot reboot | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | I got **a problem** during this step: may be the **boot_b.img** was saved from version **9.6.8.0**, | ||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | android.hardware.wifi@1.0-service: finit_module return: -1: Required key not available | ||
+ | android.hardware.wifi@1.0-service: Failed to load WiFi driver | ||
+ | android.hardware.wifi@1.0-service: Failed to initialize firmware mode controller | ||
+ | android.hardware.wifi@1.0-service: | ||
+ | </code> | ||
+ | |||
+ | I proceeded with the standard upgrade path, trusting that the boot partition would be recognized as original and therefore upgraded to the new one. Remember: the update ZIP archive were already downloaded into the phone, so I just launched the **reboot and install** action. After some minutes and a few reboots, the system was upgraded to **Android v.9** build number **PKQ1.180917.001.V10.0.19.0.PDHMIXM**. Fortunately enough the WiFi were recovered. | ||
+ | |||
+ | To complete the upgrade: | ||
+ | |||
+ | | ||
+ | - Backup the stock boot partitions. | ||
+ | - Reinstall TWRP. | ||
+ | - Reinstall Magisk. | ||
+ | - Backup the rooted boot partitions. | ||
+ | |||
+ | First of all **run the TWRP** recovery // | ||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | adb reboot bootloader | ||
+ | fastboot boot twrp-3.3.0-2-tissot.img | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | From //TWRP// => //Reboot// menu, I verified that the **Current Slot** is **A**: it is normal that the upgrade procedure swaps the boot partition during the upgrade. Using ADB from the connected PC, I backed up the stock boot images: | ||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | adb pull / | ||
+ | adb pull / | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | Now I installed the TWRP recovery into the boot partitions: from //TWRP// => //Install// => **twrp-installer-3.3.0-2-tissot.zip**. The installation warns about //Running boot image patcher on slot// A and B, and spit some harmless warnings about the **/vendor** mounting point. It is necessary to install TWRP before Magisk, otherwise TWRP will unroot the phone during its install. | ||
+ | |||
+ | After a system reboot, and another boot into Recovery, I did //TWRP// => //Install// => **Magisk-v20.1.zip**. This will install //root// on the phone(the **su** program). Once again I got some harmless warnings about the /vendor mounting point. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Finally I repeated the procedure to **backup** the patched **boot_a** and **boot_b** partitions. | ||
+ | |||
+ | **NOTICE**: the ADB client required to perform the '' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Once rebooted the phone into normal system, I installed the root permissions manager: **MagiskManager-v7.5.1.apk**. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===== August 2020 security update ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | This is a new update from Xiaomi, still featuring **AndroidOne v.9** relase, build **PKQ1.180917.001.V10.0.24.0.PDHMIXM**. The upgrade was downloaded nightly over the WiFi. It seems impossibile to prevent such automatic download: I did not find any settings to prevent automatic upgrade download. After downloading, | ||
+ | |||
+ | The starting conditions were: | ||
+ | |||
+ | * A/B System Updates status: **Current Slot: ?** (may be it was **A**, because after installation it is **B**). | ||
+ | * Bootloader is **unlocked**. | ||
+ | * **Magisk** | ||
+ | * **System partition** was the stock one: root privileges | ||
+ | |||
+ | After the upgrade, I did the following to get **root again**: | ||
+ | |||
+ | * adb reboot bootloader | ||
+ | * fastboot boot twrp-3.3.0-2-tissot.img | ||
+ | * Verified from TWRP => Reboot: **Current slot: B** | ||
+ | * adb pull / | ||
+ | * adb pull / | ||
+ | * TWRP ⇒ Install ⇒ **twrp-installer-3.3.0-2-tissot.zip**\\ Running boot image patcher on slot a and b. | ||
+ | * system reboot | ||
+ | * adb reboot bootloader | ||
+ | * fastboot boot twrp-3.3.0-2-tissot.img | ||
+ | * TWRP ⇒ Install ⇒ **Magisk-v20.4.zip**\\ Current boot slot: _b, unpacking, patching, repacking, flashing new boot image. | ||
- | FIXME Write how to complete the upgrade! | ||
===== Web References ===== | ===== Web References ===== | ||
Line 259: | Line 420: | ||
* [[https:// | * [[https:// | ||
* [[https:// | * [[https:// | ||
+ | * [[https:// | ||
* [[https:// | * [[https:// | ||
* [[https:// | * [[https:// |
doc/appunti/hardware/xiaomi_mi_a1.1555062033.txt.gz · Last modified: 2019/04/12 11:40 by niccolo