[Huawei P9 Plus Guides, News, & Discussion] Tecalote:
Update Huawei P9 Plus VIE to official Android 8 Oreo

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Unofficial method to update European models of Huawei P9 Plus VIE to official Android 8 Oreo

- for VIE-L09 and VIE-L29​

Originally, all models of the P9 Plus VIE and P9 EVA should receive the Android Oreo update. Unfortunately, Huawei has decided to only supply the Chinese models with Android 8.

For this reason, there is an unofficial way to update to the official Oreo → by rebranding the European models to VIE-AL10.

Note: This Guide is for P9 Plus VIE → (P9-EVA HWOTA7 with Update Guide to Oreo you can find here: https://xdaforums.com/p9/development/rebrand-update-tool-hwota7-p9-eva-t3820849)

Oreo runs smoothly and well on P9 Plus, the battery last longer and with Android 8 there is Treble Support.

Since it is possible to update P9 Plus to Oreo - Huawei P9 VIE is officially supported by the OpenKirin Team :https://xdaforums.com/p9/development/roms-openkirin-aosp-collection-t3828806

See OpenKirin supported devices: https://openkirin.net/devices/

Here is a small Guide how to go back from OpenKirin ROM to EMUI: https://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=77905152&postcount=833

Preparation for the update to Oreo:

If you are on any Custom Rom - go back to Stock firmware first - before rebrand to another location!

You should be on the latest approved Firmware for your device - if you have not the latest approved Firmware, use HWOTA7 Tool to update your Firmware.

Do for every case a Backup (TitaniumBackup /Huawei Backup - without System-Apps/Settings) before. TWRP Backup makes no sence, because you can not restore it on Oreo! Make sure, the Update-Firmware is copied to the folder C:\HWOTA7\update - and two zip files are RENAMED as mentioned in OP → read OP Post#1. Update your Firmware by using the script (HWOTA7 Terminal: 2. Using the script + 1. Change firmware)

Instructions for updating to Oreo by rebranding your phone to VIE-AL10:

Requirements:

A) HWOTA7 Tool

B) Bootloader Unlock Code for your device

C) Micro SD Card → formatted as exFAT

D) For rebranding from VIE-L09 or VIE-L29 to → VIE-AL10 you need to download the following 2 Firmwares:

A) VIE-AL10c00b399SP20 /Android 7 (this Firmware is required for the Update to Oreo):

update.zip: http://update.hicloud.com:8180/TDS/data/files/p3/s15/G1891/g1755/v139083/f1/full/update.zip

update_full_VIE-AL10_all_cn.zip: http://update.hicloud.com:8180/TDS/data/files/p3/s15/G1891/g1755/v139083/f1/full/VIE-AL10_all_cn/update_full_VIE-AL10_all_cn.zip

update_data_full_public.zip: http://update.hicloud.com:8180/TDS/data/files/p3/s15/G1891/g1755/v139083/f1/full/public/update_data_full_public.zip

B) VIE-AL10C00B537 (8.0.0.537) OREO

update.zip:

http://update.hicloud.com:8180/TDS/data/files/p3/s15/G3133/g1699/v200303/f1/full/update.zip

update_full_VIE-AL10_all_cn.zip:

http://update.hicloud.com:8180/TDS/data/files/p3/s15/G3133/g1699/v200303/f1/full/VIE-AL10_all_cn/update_full_VIE-AL10_all_cn.zip

update_data_full_public.zip:

http://update.hicloud.com:8180/TDS/data/files/p3/s15/G3133/g1699/v200303/f1/full/public/update_data_full_public.zip

→ rename for each Firmware two zip files as described in OP (Post #1)

Step-by-step:

0) Developer Options enabled (7x click on Build-Number in Settings /About phone) - In Developer Options: OEM Unlock, ADB Debugging + USB Debugging (in this order) enabled, HiSuite HDB (in Settings /Adv.Settings /Security) disabled, HiSuite on PC closed, working USB Connection

1) Connect your device with USB to PC and start from HWOTA7 main folder: update_eng.bat - Accept possibly the RSA query on the display of the P9 Plus

2) Restart your P9 Plus into Fastboot mode (use restart/restart and press VOL- /or shutdown phone and press VOL- and Power Button)

→ Note: During all steps USB Cable stays connected between phone and PC and you only press "Enter" in the terminal when the described step, in the line before, was executed.

3) HWOTA7-terminal detects if Bootloader is open or closed - if the Bootloader is closed go to 4) - if the Bootloaer is open go to 7)

4) Terminal ask you for the Unlock code - enter the Unlock code and confirm the Unlock on the phone

5) Your P9 Plus reboots and an automatic factory reset is done with internal storage wipe (lowlevel reset) - wait until the phone reboot to system. Skip everything during setup (except what can not be skipped) - Important: Enable Developer Options with ADB Debugging and USB Debugging

6) Restart your P9 Plus into Fastboot mode - now hit "Enter" Button - HWOTA7 Terminal will flash automatically TWRP for Android 7 and gives you the order to boot into TWRP by pressing VOL+ and Power Button (dont hit "enter" before this step is done)

7) In TWRP swipe to allow system modification - now hit "enter" (2x) in the Terminal - after a short while you will see: Upgrade Options

8) 2. Using script: 2.Change location - you will see a list of available "oeminfo" - use: 1.VIE-AL10c00

→ Note: The Firmware for VIE-AL10c00b399SP20 (Nougat) must be already in the update folder (and two zip files renamed)!

9) HWOTA7 flashes now oeminfo for VIE-AL10, Bootloader is getting closed, confirm the Unlock on device - automatic factory reset is executed, wait until 99% and 100% restarts the phone → NOW PRESS VOL+ to boot the phone into TWRP instead of system!

10) Allow system modification in TWRP and hit "Enter" Button for Terminal - HWOTA7 copies now the firmware to the directory: /data/update/HWOTA - phone will restart automatically and flashes the Firmware with NoCheck EMUI Recovery.

→ After your P9 Plus has started into the system - you may see a black screen with an input field and a keyboard - if yes, go to 11) - if no, go to 13)

11) Close HWOTA7 Terminal and press Power Button on P9 Plus to restart your Phone, restart phone, in the moment of restart press VOL- Button to boot into Fastboot Mode → Bootloader is closed. BTW: Chinese Brands dont have FRP.

12) Open update_eng.bat, click enter, enter the Unlock code, confirm Unlock on phone, phone makes a Factory reset with lowlevel wipe. Then the P9 Plus starts automatically into the system. Now you have already rebranded to VIE-AL10c00b399SP20 (Nougat) :good:

13) Accept the terms and conditions (Huawei + Google Services) and skip the rest, what can be skipped. Do not be nervous, your P9 Plus has no IMEI at the moment and no mobile network. This is normal. In the settings in the search bar, search for "Trust Space" and "HiSuite HDB" - disable both. Enable again Developer Options and inside: ADB Debugging and USB Debugging (in this order).

14) Click enter in Terminal, select 2. "No, I would not" and HWOTA7 will be closed. → Change now the Firmware in the update folder to: VIE-AL10C00B537 (8.0.0.537) OREO (remember: two zip files has to be renamed!)

15) Start again update_eng.bat. Reboot phone into Fastbood Mode. Hit "enter" for Terminal - TWRP will be flashed automatically - reboot with VOL+ and Power Button into TWRP - allow system modification - hit "enter" in HWOTA7 Terminal

16) Use Upgrade options: 2.Using the script - 1.Change firmware (Same brand update /but Oreo)

17) Click enter in Terminal, Firmware will be copied to: /data/update/HWOTA - "System update should start automatically" → if you receive any error like: "connect failed, no devices/emulators found" - go to 18) - if everything is okay go to 19)

18) Close HWOTA7 Terminal and use menu of TWRP to reboot into Bootloader, start again update_eng.bat - TWRP will be flashed again - boot into TWRP with VOL+ and Power Button - allow system modification - hit "enter" in HWOTA7 Terminal - Firmware will be copied to: /data/update/HWOTA - Phone will make reboot and flash the Firmware for Oreo automatically.

19) You have now successfully updated to Android 8. :good: Phone will reboot into VIE-AL10C00B537 (8.0.0.537) OREO

→ You should accept the terms and conditions (Huawei + Google Services) - otherwise Playstore will not work later! Do not enable WLAN and do not set up your phone (Fingerprint etc)right now! - skip, what can be skipped. → You will have "unknown IMEI" and no mobile network at the moment, that is normal. Open Settings/System and enable again Developer Options/ADB+USB Debugging. In Settings /Security+Privacy you can find "Trust Space" - disable it - and in same menu you find in "More" "Allow HiSuite to use HDB" - disable it! → Now we must help the phone to recognize the IMEI and enable mobile network and NFC on VIE-L09 and Dual-SIM on VIE-L29 as well as disable Chinese apps, which we do not need in Europe (and some of them would not work here)

20) Downloads:

TWRP for OREO: P9-VIE_EVA-8.0.0-TWRP-v4.img https://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=1322778262904008816 - we need this to flash the important changes to system without the need of Root!

This TWRP is made by [MENTION=2642882]Pretoriano80[/MENTION] for Honor 9 Lite. I made just small changes for assert hi3650. You can backup and restore everything, except data! There is no access to /data - means: you can not do Factoryreset from TWRP - and decryption of the internal storage for the TWRP session is not working. → For Backkup and restore data you can use HiSuite or Huawei Backup or Titanium Backup. MTP ist working, when you just disable/enable it once.

Network-Patch zip files (new released 03.03.2019):

→ select the zip according to your original model (which you had before rebranding to VIE-AL10)

→ Copy the zip file to the external SD or to the USB Stick, which you connect to P9 Plus after with OTG cable. Since TWRP can currently not access /data (internal storage) - you can not flash this Patches without → external SD or USB OTG

→ The Network Patch zip files can be used for b537. If you are already on Oreo and have an older Firmware (b528, b535), you must update first to b537.

→ Update from older Oreo Firmware to b537: see Post #5

VIE-L09_b537-SingleSIM_NetworkPatch-v2.5.zip: https://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=1395089523397898649

MD5: c22b40706584852ee1b1873fc7c28e54

VIE-L29_b537-DUAL-SIM_NetworkPatch-v2.5.zip: https://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=1395089523397898655

MD5: 9f8f5df0f8abfe5afe49097b6bc6c4d3

VIE-EVA-FaceUnlock-Oreo-v1.5.zip: https://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=1395089523397898647

MD5: 973d006c55fa812d722b653a57c844c0

21) Copy the downloaded TWRP (from STEP 20) into the folder C:\HWOTA7\tools\Windows - connect P9 Plus with USB to PC - right click on cmd-here-exe (run as administrator) - type: adb reboot bootloader (enter, to restart your P9 Plus into Fastboot mode)

fastboot flash recovery_ramdisk P9-VIE_EVA-8.0.0-TWRP-v4.img

22) Disconnect the USB cable from P9 Plus and press (with the left hand) VOL+ and Power Button (with the right hand) and keep pressing until the Phone is rebooted into TWRP.

23) On the first Screen click on "Cancle" (because decryption is not working for now) but swipe to confirm to "Allow System modification"

→ Go to: Install /select storage: Micro SD (or USB-OTG) and flash the downloaded NetworkPatch.zip file. If you like, you can use the function down left "Add zip file" and choose the VIE-EVA-FaceUnlock-Oreo-v1.5.zip

24) Swipe to confirm flashing the Network Patch (and the optional added VIE-EVA-FaceUnlock-Oreo-v1.5.zip file)

25) If you had used an older NetworkPatch before flashing the newest one - go back to the main menu of TWRP, go to wipe → advanced wipe and choose only "cache" (not Dalvik) → but if you are new on Oreo b537 you can skip this step

26) Reboot to the system

27) Finally, Playstore and any keyboard is needed. Download the apks from here (February 2019): https://www.androidfilehost.com/?w=files&flid=290472

28) Install it, enable keyboard, open Playstore and log into your account. After that reboot your phone. Now you can update apps, download and install your favorite apps and additional all other Google apps from Playstore → do not flash GApps instead!

29) After you have installed all required files, you have currently TWRP installed → this is good for Users, which like to have Root and disabled OTA.

Root Guide can be found here: LINK WILL COME SOON

→ But if you like to enable OTA instead:

A) Download and flash: Enable-Hwota.zip from here: https://www.androidfilehost.com/?w=files&flid=290480

B) Go back to the main menu of TWRP and Reboot to Bootlader

C) flash in Fastboot mode the Stock EMUI Recovery

fastboot flash recovery_ramdisk VIE-b537-EMUI-RECOVERY_RAMDIS.img

Download from here: https://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=1395089523397898696

Reboot Phone and enjoy :)

If you search for older files (Network Patches etc) for older Firmwares, you can also search my folder on Android Filehost:

https://androidfilehost.com/user/?w=settings-dev-files&flid=131030

Note: It is not possible to lock the Bootloader on to VIE-AL10 rebranded phone with Network Patch and FaceUnlock! This would revert all the required changes and in the worst case push your phone into a bricked state.

→ But what you can do with installed EMUI Recovery (instead of TWRP): You can do from settings /system /reset a Factoryreset with wipe of the internal storage (to clean up previous instalations) → in this case the Factoryreset lowlevel does not revert the changes! The only difference is: When you get Push notifications, the Badges over the app symbol on Homescreen will change from numbers to points (which is standard on Oreo) → which is currently not change able in settings without Factoryreset.

Known issues:

VoLTE and WiFi-Calling is is visible in the menu - but does not work for now!

If you want synchronisation between Google calendar and EMUI calendar - you need to install Google calendar from Playstore.

If you like to use Google Assistant and have problems to teach this app with your voice "Hello Google" - just open settings /apps & notifications /standard (default) apps - and choose Google Assistant as default app (then it will work).

→ Please read also the next few posts (Root, current firmware with eRecovery, Update Firmware on Oreo with HWOTA8, going back to EVA-AL10 Nougat and rebrand back to original model)

→ Currently working to update this posts (will be ready soon).