yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Android General] KilgoreT:
No it doesn't. It just shows the size of system files but can't mount them. As I said I use microSD card for installing zip files. microSD is not encrypted - it's treated like an outside drive.

---------- Post added at 01:28 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:22 PM ----------

Misunderstanding here. TWRP sees encrypted partition but can not mount it. Ther is a size and even grayed folders but it's not usable. I had magisk zip on my inside drive but TWRP could not see it. That's why I have to use outside microSD.

I don't have any warning when I boot. Warnings comes only when you have OEM unlocked. (Looks like I will have to make a video to show it's possible.)

Funny thing is I didn't care at all about encryption or Google Protect. I don't trust Google anyway and I rather feel like I need protection from Google intrusions.
[Android General] NikosD:
Well...We have spent a lot of useful posts, but rather inaccurate to finally agree that TWRP can't see the encrypted Data partition.

So, I think we have to agree that a TWRP which can't see userdata partition and it needs a microSD or an OTG cable in order to have access to user's selected files is not a fully working TWRP.

You have just managed to avoid encrypted Data by using external means in order to use TWRP.

This is a crippled use of TWRP and certainly not what we were talking about in this thread.

Glad that we have cleared this thing up!
[Android General] KilgoreT:
Now that's exactly what I meant. This TWRp is a cripple. But I'm quite satisfied as my aim was to have rooted tablet. I hate ads and I love Macrodroid. I'm control freak as they say.
[Android General] NikosD:
I'm not sure that this a problem of this specific TWRP for Hi9 Pro.

As I wrote above, this is an issue for all android devices using a TWRP of v3.x and above.

[MENTION=7987739]Infect_Ed[/MENTION], [MENTION=8056188]amg314[/MENTION]

Is there a way to have a rooted Hi9 Pro with a fully working TWRP seeing userdata partition but with locked bootloader ?
[Android General] KilgoreT:
Why do you need to see userdata partition from TWRP?
[Android General] NikosD:
Obviously, I want to have access to all device's partitions and flash zip files directly from my internal storage.

Can you make a full backup using TWRP if you can't see userdata for example ?
[Android General] KilgoreT:
I've made some system backup and stored it on microSD. I still don't know if it works but it's there in the TWRP folder. I presume you can make a backup of encrypted data. It's stays encrypted but it's identical.

Anyway there are some other options for rooted phones like Titanium backup. There is also Google Drive backup - I never used it but I'm always offered this option when login to Google account for the first time.
[Android General] nikaiako:
Me too. This is why I feel like installing AOSP without gapps. Maybe soon...
[Android General] nikaiako:
...

So far it seems to me that the best way to do backup of your mtk device is to make a memory dump with sp flash tool. The downside is that such a memory dump takes about 30 Gb of your PC disk space in our case, but it is a very comfortable and safe way of preserving your data and configuration.
[Android General] NikosD:
At last!

After 2 hours and approx. 20 min my battery went from dead 0% to 100% after many weeks of just 80% Max.

But now that I use the keyboard after the FW update, I see that Gboard is selected by default and I can't change it and I can't find the approximate symbol "~"

I want my previous keyboard back!
[Android General] nikaiako:
Oh, I see. Something wrong with the settings menu there.

To solve this problem, I just installed "shortcut creator" from the google playstore, and with its help I created the shortcut to "available virtual keyboards" of my device (shortcuts - settings - system actions - available virtual keyboard). You just download a keyboard of your choice and choose it.
[Android General] amg314:
Set your eyes on the Full Keyboard (fork of the Hacker's Keyboard) https://4pda.ru/forum/index.php?showtopic=725572

It have ~ symbol)))

If you like the keyboard, I can upload it for download.
[Android General] KilgoreT:
Thanks, looks like a good idea. I might try it after I reclaim tablet from my kids. They are testing it big time installing and uninstalling games for more than a week now. Surprisingly tablet still works fine after this extended torture.
[Android General] NikosD:
But I can reach the virtual keyboard settings without the use of this specific app, without making a shortcut.

What exactly does this app do for the keyboard issue ?

I remember having a keyboard from the firmware itself, I don't know which one exactly and I don't know how to download it.

Do you mean to search for a keyboard in Google Play store ?
[Android General] nikaiako:
No, I can't reach the virtual keyboard settings on my device without that shortcut creator. I do not see it in my device's settings. So I thought that you had the same problem.

UPD I was unable to activate any keyboard installed by myself.
[Android General] NikosD:
I just go to Settings -> System -> Language & Input -> Virtual Keyboard & Input.

UPD I found the keyboard I was looking for in Gboard.

You just have to press the "=\<" key in order to unveil all the symbols.

False alarm, but at least I accidentally helped you to solve your issue [emoji39]

Thank you!
[Android General] KilgoreT:
I also don't see keyboard settings when I open Settings but when I use search tab on the top of Settings I can find it immediately. Did you try to type something like "key" or "lang"?
[Android General] nikaiako:
Thank you so much! It works. Never thought of such an approach before.
[Android General] KilgoreT:
I'm glad I could help. I work in Corel Draw for at least 10 years and still learn new things which I'm sure are pretty basic to others.
[Android General] NikosD:
0nly 6 hours SOT from 100% to 0% but I'll wait for the FW update to settle down.

I used to have around 8 hours SOT.
[Android General] amg314:
I use 3C Toolbox combine to monitor/manage my battery.
[Android General] tekknogenius:
Anyone know how to open up the Hi9 Pro?

Mine has a broken LCD and I need to replace the broken one. BTW my digitizer and front glass are fine.

Thanks.
[Android General] NikosD:
I bought a cheap OTG cable today and tried this method.

It didn't work, as I unfortunately expected.
[Android General] amg314:
What do not work, cable or method?

I use cheap OTG cable too, but OTG USB flash is seen in my TWRP (see picture).
[Android General] NikosD:
Method.

OTG works fine.
[Android General] NikosD:
Second day in a row that I get the same lesser SOT time of 6 hours instead of 8.

I'll report back in two weeks.
[Android General] nikaiako:
What brightness level do you use? My device's SOT time is about 14 hours on modest brightness.
[Android General] Infect_Ed:
I have never not once seen battery life like that on my Hi9Pro... Ever. It gets hot just sitting there. Schools over. Time for recovery updates and AOSP.

---------- Post added at 03:58 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:55 AM ----------

Yeah, the back pops right off. The battery is soldered right to the board. So be careful. You could short it out and fry your motherboard if you aren't careful. You cannot detach it. Unless you get a soldering iron out and heat the solder. Or cut the wires. Then splice them back together when you're done. That's not really a good idea tho.
[Android General] NikosD:
The brightness of the screen is low, so it is impossible to read from it if you are outside in an open sunny environment, like Greece.

I prefer to have the brightness level in the middle all the time and avoid the sun.

Still, even if you restrict the brightness to low levels, a SOT of 14 hours is out of this world.

You have to be in a dark room all the time.
[Android General] nikaiako:
I am checking it again right now. I will report the result.
[Android General] NikosD:
Magisk v19.1 is released for our device, but once again it can't be installed via Magisk Manager as a zip file.

I think we need to flash a patched boot.img.
[Android General] nikaiako:
There is 14 hours
[Android General] NikosD:
Probably you didn't charge it fully at 100% last time.

I have seen more than 14 hours that way.

You have to be sure that the counter starts from 0.
[Android General] Evans_jd:
I ran into the boot.img version issue previously after flashing the stock image from Chuwi.

Thanks to this thread, I was able to get back to a working (unrooted) phablet.

I've noticed that I no longer get notification badges on the homescreen - cannot say for certain if it worked before, but I'm sure I would have noticed.

Tried various launchers and its the same issue.

Not a big problem but annoying when things dont work.

Any clues?

TIA
[Android General] Evans_jd:
#Ignore.

I uninstalled Ava Lockscreen, rebooted and back to normal
[Android General] nikaiako:
Here is my boot.img from 20180801 firmware, patched by magisk manager 7.1.2. for Magisk 19.1

https://www.dropbox.com/s/2ey9xrpep29l2ob/patched_boot_20180801_for_magisk_19.1.img?dl=0

View attachment 4756762
[Android General] NikosD:
Magisk v19.2 is out along with Magisk Manager v7.2.0.

No need for patched boot.img file.

You just download without installing it the Magisk v19.2 zip file and you flash it normally via TWRP like every other zip file.

If your Internal Storage is not encrypted, you save the zip file anywhere inside.

If it's encrypted you need an OTG cable and external storage to save Magisk v19.2 zip file and flash it via TWRP.

Worked for me like a charm!
[Android General] tekknogenius:
Thanks for the information. When you say "You cannot detach it" I'm assuming you mean the battery not the LCD, correct?
[Android General] amg314:
You can use a soldering fan (hot air gun) with small tip for contactless battery desoldering.
[Android General] Infect_Ed:
Yes I know. But it's really bad practice for them to do this. There's better alternatives.
[Android General] dvdfreak:
Is Pie coming this device in June as promised ?
[Android General] kelu:
Update broke the screen

After vacation, came home to find the tablet without battery (normal).

After charging it, it automatically installed the update (I have ignored it previously) and now I cannot use the screen anymore :(

I have no OTG cable, ordered one, but it will take few days to arrive.

Is there any other method to hard reset the update (and the tablet) to the original factory OS?

I do not care if I loose all apps, I can reinstall them later (all my important files are on the microSD which I can remove)

This is definately not a tablet for a normal user, only for geeks to be able to restore and recover it :(
[Android General] amg314:
You can use adb (Android Debug Bridge) https://www.xda-developers.com/install-adb-windows-macos-linux/ if the USB Debugging mode on your tablet is enabled.

Otherwise you may restore from Nandroid Backup thru TWRP, or reflash ROM using SP Flash Tool

https://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1982587
[Android General] nikaiako:
Be careful when you try to restore your tablet. There is a firmware for the tablet (CWI548) that came with 20180801 out of the box (and 2081115 firmware as an update for the first one), and a firmware for the CWI532 tablet version, that came out of the box allegedly with the 20181226 firmware. At least there are two different devices under one name.

There is a link to my post with these firmwares here

https://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=79402683&postcount=513

You can install it with sp flash tool program.
[Android General] kelu:
I got my Otg cable and could connect my Rii keyboard with touchpad to the tablet and unlock it

Funny thing is the the touch screen seems to work normally but slower when the Otg is connected (not always working but still)

i have a red button tablet, seems the first rom in your link, the 20180801 version

I have a screenshot from the settings, can you let me know if that is correct?

also, what else should I be carefull about when flashin? (imeis gones?)

i did not do an sp flash in ages, so any nooob-like instructions are welcomed :)
[Android General] nikaiako:
I suppose it would be better in your case if you flash the 20180801 firmware, the one that was installed on your tablet out of the box, and do not let the tablet to install the 20181115 update, because the battery is working not in a proper way there.

Here is the link to the SP Flash Tool downloading page: https://spflashtools.com/category/windows

To flash the firmware you'd rather use the "Download Only" mode. Also it would be better if you uncheck the "preloader", "cache" and "userdata" boxes before flashing in order to keep your settings intact.

Also here the link to Howto https://androidmtk.com/flash-stock-rom-using-smart-phone-flash-tool
[Android General] kelu:
Hi Nikaiako

I used your instructions and deselected the 3 options (preloader, cache and userdata) and left all the others checked.

But after successful flashing, I started the tablet and the screen still does not work ... now even with the keyboard via the OTG connected it does not work the touch screen (before it was working)

If I flash again with all the checkboxes selected (so the preloader, cache and userdata too) would I have more chances to have a working touch screen?
[Android General] nikaiako:
Hmm... Probably your data was already corrupred. Then flash the firmware again, this time do it with all the boxes selected, of course. And i recommend the "firmware upgrade" mode of flashing in this situation.
[Android General] kelu:
I did so, the tablet shows now the Welcome screen to configure it, but the touch screen is still not calibrated and I cannot use it :(

I think some other users had the same problem before, I will start reading again this thread to look for clues

Or if you/anyone has any other suggestion, I am willing to try them
[Android General] KilgoreT:
I've been through all that. Touch screen not working is the symptom of wrong firmware. Chuwis are good tablets with terrible support. They posted firmware for one version of Red Button while they were two hardware versions of this tablet.

How did I manage to restore my tablet? Thanks to one guy with nick like Christos. He made a backup of firmware from his tablet and posted link to it in this thread. Go back some month or two, find it, download it and read discussion about how to flash it. There is issue with IMEI but I found some way of restoring it. There was also one more successful restoration reported by other user. It's all in the discussion. Hope you get it back to work.
[Android General] nikaiako:
So far I know only one explanation of the touchscreen calibration issue. May be there are more of them...

My understanding is that when guys with the tablets that were out of the box with the 20181226 firmware tried to install the only official firmware from the Chuwi official forum (i.e.20181115), they inevitably got their touchscreens out of sync.

I made an experiment. I installed the 20181226 on my tablet that initially had a 20180801 firmware out of the box. As a result I also got an opportunity to see what this touchscreen calibration issue looks like.

To fix this problem I just had to use an old boot.img (i.e. the original one from the 20180801 firmware).

By the way, there is indeed the 20181226 firmware on my old Hi9pro with the red button now, with the exception of the boot.img and vendor.img that are from my original firmware. This hybrid firmware is better than anything else.
[Android General] NikosD:
That's very true.

The combination of latest FW with original boot.img and vendor.img is the best so far for official ROMs.
[Android General] kelu:
Actually I had and have still the 20180801 firmware, I did not get the full update of the 20181115, but I think the tablet tried to do it (I did not accept the update first time some months back after I saw the feedback here).

But after coming back from vacation and plugin it in to charge, somehow it only did it partially (the boot.img and/or vendor.img) as the tablet was still showing the 20180801 but the touch screen did not work.

I tried to flash the 20180801 firmware only from the post from nikaiako below, but touch screen issue is still there:

https://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=79402683&postcount=513

The "magic" backup from Christos2714 is also in the same link above, but now I am confused on what to do

Question 1: should I extract both the CHUWI_Hi9Pro_ROM_20180801_ota.rar and the

CHUWI_Hi9Pro_backup_orig_O00623 release-keys OGS 20181226.rar and then use the scatter file from second with all the things it comes but somehow overwrite/select the boot.img and vendor.img from first ROM?

Question 2: My tablet is not rooted, so if I lose the IMEIs not sure how I can restore them ... I read on Google that I need to root it to restore the IMEIs, is that correct?

Question 3: I already applied the CHUWI_Hi9Pro_ROM_20180801_ota.rar with Firmware Upgrade option ... does that mean my original IMEIs are replaced with the ones in that ROM? (I see two IMEIs now if I dial *#06#, but not sure if these are mine or part of that ROM)

Sorry for all the noob questions, I hope I will also get to this perfect state of 20181226 + original boot.img and vendor.img and stop bothering everyone :)
[Android General] NikosD:
[MENTION=272643]kelu[/MENTION]

Please, read a few or more pages back and you will find all the answers here in this thread.

BTW, a new Magisk v19.3 is out and a new TWRP v3.3.1 (not for our tablet, but in general)
[Android General] zelipukin:
sorry, I though I did, but I forgot to attach a zip with "para" partition twrp backup. In some situations this partition may contain flag "reboot into recovery" causes "recovery loop"

if you still have same "recovery loop" try to restore "para" partition from twrp. zip is in my previous post now.

looks like you did everything correct flashing system.img

after you flashed system,

- does your tablet boots into recovery only again or this time it's a boot loop ?

- is system partition visible from twrp ?
[Android General] zelipukin:
Checked your link and instructions are fine, except

they provide two command for unlock

the second command is also used for unlock "fastboot flashing unlock" but it's for a different phone but I don't think this is problem if you run it.

I didn't realised you used different twrp than in this thread, it may not include "para" for backup/restore. you can try to flash twrp from this thread though - just flash it from your existing twrp.

well I just checked a link to twrp from the link you gave me and it goes back to this thread, so this is same recovery

Also if you by mistake used to reboot to recovery command:

fastboot flash boot recovery.img

instead of

fastboot boot recovery.img

this replaced boot.img with recovery.img and if so this is the reason why your tablet boots to recovery only. if this is a case than reflash boot.img from twrp or

fastboot flash boot boot.img
[Android General] jjubb:
Recovery Loop

I also tried installing the '2018-09-29--para.zip' via TWRP and that sadly failed as well.
[Android General] zelipukin:
this is not flashable zip, this is twrp bacup of "para" partition, so use "restore" instead of "flash"

" unzip folder that is inside the zip into your external sd card TWRP/Backups/Hi9Pro (enable option "enable mtp" in TWRP->mount to be able to access sdcard from your pc). Run "restore" , (switch backup folder location to external sd ), find 2018-09-29--para backup, restore it, try to reload into system. "

Also, possible

If for to reboot into recovery you by mistake used

fastboot flash boot recovery.img

instead of

fastboot boot recovery.img

this replaced your boot.img with recovery.img and this is why your phone boots into recovery only.

to correct this just flash boot.img from twrp or

fastboot flash boot boot.img
[Android General] jjubb:
Recovery Loop

Surprisingly I did run the 'fastboot flash boot boot.img' ADB command, as well as attempted the process that you mentioned via TWRP... & upon reboot, the tablet still boots back to TWRP.
[Android General] zelipukin:
thinking...

attached is how mount menu should look like

and all check boxes are clickable

what is missing on your ?

can you make a twrp backup of your "para" only partition and then open it (para.emmc.win) in any txt editor (like Notepad), go to the begining of long null null null string and see whats in the beginning ?

Just trying to understand what caused this issue

- you have switched "allow the bootloader to be unlocked" in developer setting

stupid question bc w/o this, you, in theory, can't unlock your phone

- after you issued "fastboot oem unlock" there was a prompt on your phone to confirm your action.

this is another stupid question bc you have message on your phone that it is in unlocked mode

- system and data partitions are still unacesessible in mount menu

- were there any messages after you issued (if you did) "fastboot flashing unlock" (err., etc.) ?
[Android General] jjubb:
Recovery Loop

THANK YOU SO MUCH

Your TWRP\Backups\Hi9\20180929-para.zip recommendation fixed everything.

I was able to boot normally into Android 8.0... as well as create a valid TWRP backup.
[Android General] zelipukin:
Good to know!

If it really works,I think, I should put those files in the first post as "recovery loop fix"
[Android General] michael08071984:
[MENTION=1980576]zelipukin[/MENTION] i got the rom to flash on my Device. Ended with flash ok in green. I got a short chuwi logo and short battery logo on the charger. Now its black. Could it be that the battery is complete empty?
[Android General] NikosD:
[MENTION=9350973]All[/MENTION]

Do you charge the tablet using the charger from Chuwi which was inside the box ?

I noticed today that while charging it produces a little noise.

You have to go close to the charger while charging in order to hear it.

Do you have such experience with your chargers ?
[Android General] zelipukin:
If you were able to see the logo, my guess is that everything is ok with low level loaders.

battery can be an issue if voltage drops under certain level so the controller thinks that battery is completely dead and fefuses to charge, but I see no reason for a such assumption.

- If you disconnect/connect usb can you see charging animation ?

- pwr + 'vol+' still no go to boot menu ?

- in spflash tool lets check only 'cache' partition, click start, connect the phone. what is happening ?
[Android General] michael08071984:
i flashed cache again without problems. Weird thing it only flashed when i hold vol+ and vol- together for the whole flashing process. when i press the power button and hold it i get a second a chuwi screen that it turns off. When i plug in the charger i see the empty Battery sign, but no sign of charging, screen goes off imediatly. When i hold vol+ and power the menu for fastboot recovery and normal appears but i cant choose it immediatly dissapears again.

weird as ****!
[Android General] zelipukin:
your charging picture doen't look like one attached (there is no lightning symbol) ?

if you still able to connect to spflash can you readback from your phone:

- 1. click "readback"

- 2. "add" - this will open explorer window where you want to save your file.

- 3. doubleclick that string appeared on the screen

- 4. input values start: 0x1008000 and lenght: 0x80000

- ok, than click "Read Back" button (w. green arrow)

than you can open this file (ROM_0, if no filename change) in any text editor.

what's in the beginig of the file ?

do you still have that warning message about unlocked bootloader ?
[Android General] michael08071984:
Hello. I will try that today. I honestly think that the Device is already okay, but the Battery is so empty, that it doesnt charge. I had it on a Powerbank overnight, to check if it consumes Energy, but no it doesnt.
[Android General] vivek90:
Hi Guys we have the proper rom from official source.

https://forum.chuwi.com/thread-6438-1-1.html