Preface

Yesterday night, I upgraded my Yotaphone3 China version (Android 7.1.1, no Google apps) to Yota3+ HongKong version (Android 8.1.0 with all Google apps).

Yotaphone 3 China version upgraded to Yota3+ Android 8.1.0

Yota3+ has significant user experience improvement than Yota3 (China version), inherently with supporting all apps in back screen (E-ink screen), running Android 8.1.0 which is safer and crispy.

Check it out on Youtube

Caveats

• Everything in your Yota3 will be wiped (lost)
• There is a chance that your Yota3 may be ruined (brick)

All apps you need

• Links Weiyun Yota3 to Yota3+ password：2ahhzj
• Download it and unzip it

Prerequisites:

• Windows 10
• Yotaphone 3 (China edition, Android 7.1.1, 64G/128G)
• ADB / fastboot binaries are put in your system PATH
  • Don’t know how? Google it.
• Windows 10 ADB drivers are installed
  • For Chinese, try 驱动精灵 drivergenius
  • For English speaker, please Google it
  • Or try this one (not tested by Paul)
• Download everything I provided upon and unzipped it in your local Drive.

Steps

Install TWRP & ROOT:

You must root your phone to backup QCN.

Enable Developer Mode / USB debugging

• Go to Settings, About Phone -> hit Build Number 7 times to enable Developer mode
• Go to Settings -> Advance settings -> Developer options
  • Enable USB debugging
  • Enable OEM unlock

fastboot flashing unlock and OEM unlock

• Power down, disconnect from USB
• Press Volume Down + Power button for 5s
• Open Windows -> CMD and execute

fastboot flashing unlock
fastboot oem unlock

Don’t know how to open CMD? Google it.

(Explorer/File open the unzipped downloaded files folder, enter cmd in File location/Address bar and press Return/Enter key)

Install TWRP recovery:

• Hold Power to shutdown, wait until the Battery charging symbol disappear if any
• Hold Power and Volume Down for 10s

fastboot flash recovery rec.img
fastboot flash recoverybp rec.img
fastboot boot rec.img

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• Use TWRP to restart your phone to System.
  • Before restart, make sure you check Disable Stock Recovery so that in future, to press Volume UP + Power button would bring you to TWRP recovery

Factory Reset / Wipe everything:

• Option #2: Android Factory Reset
  • Go to Android Settings and perform Factory Reset
• Option #1: Use TWRP to wipe
  • User TWRP to wipe Internal Storage and data (Advanced Mode)
  • Ignore all failures (mount failures, etc.)
  • TWRP Restart to System

Enable Developer Mode / USB debugging

• Go to Settings, About Phone -> hit Build Number 7 times to enable Developer mode
• Go to Settings -> Advance settings -> Developer options
  • Enable USB debugging
  • Enable OEM unlock
• Connect your Yota3 to Windows 10
• Wait for ADB drivers installed if any
• Open Windows 10 CMD and execute

adb devices

• Unlock your Yota3, and authorize/agree the USB debugging request
• Install MagiskManager via ADB install in Windows 10 CMD, exectute

adb install MagiskManager-v7.0.0.apk

Magisk Manager

• Download Magisk zip
  • Open MagiskManager app in your Yota3
  • Tap Install
  • Tap Download Zip only
• TWRP Recover install Magisk
  • Power off Yota3, disconnect USB
  • Hold Power button + Volumn Up to TWRP Recovery
  • After TWRP loaded, click Install, go to the file location Download / Magisk ***.zip, pick it and Swipe TWRP to confirm.
  • Ignore all errors.
  • Reboot to System. After Yota3 reboots, go to Magisk Manager app to check if the Magisk is installed

Backup QCN (IMEI)

• You must backup your QCN(IMEI) file in case of loosing it, or your phone may not be able to connect to 4G anymore. As follows.
• Open the downloaded files in your Windows 10
  • Install QPST_2.7.474China
  • Install QDLoader+HS-USB+Driver_64bit_Setup
  • Restart Windows 10 as requested after the driver installed
• Enable Qualcomm Diagnostics
  • After Windows 10 restarted, connect the Rooted Yota3 to Windows 10 via USB
  • Windows 10 CMD execute,

adb shell
su

• Allow SuperSU
  • Go to Yota3 to allow it in SuperSU (installed in Magisk already)
  • After allowed SU, Windows CMD execute

setprop sys.usb.config diag

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• Wait for Qualcomm USB Diagnostics Drivers installed in your Windows 10

  • Right click Windows Start icon, open Device Manager
  • Windows Start icon is the Start icon in the left-bottom of your Windows 10 desktop

• Check Ports (COM & LPT), make sure Qualcomm HS-USB Diagnostics 900E(COM*) is shown
  

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• QPST Configuration

  • Go to Windows 10 Start icon -> QPST -> QPST Configuration, You could see a new Port is added, shown as,

Port: COM3, Phone: MSM8953(*****)

image

• If nothing is shown, that means your Yota3 is not rooted correctly or setprop sys.usb.config diag failed or USB connection is unstable

• Click Menu -> Start Clients -> Software Download

• Go to Backup tab; Select a location to back QCN, click Start.

  
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• Wait for File status bar to be 100%. May need a couple of minutes. After finished, exit.

Upgrade to Android 8 Yota3+ HongKong international edition

Finally we are here.

• Toggle off and on USB debugging
  • Go to settings -> Advanced Settings -> Developer options, disable it and reenable it, and enable OEM unlock and USB debugging again
• Put the Yota 3 on 9008 mode ( edl mode )
  • Option #1 ADB

adb reboot edl

• Option #2 3 buttons

  • Power off and disconnect from USB

  • Press “Vol +” + “Vol -” + “Power” buttons.

    
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  • Connect USB

  • Wait for Windows 10 completed Drivers installation.

  • Download ROM of Yota3+ to your Yota3

• Unzip the downloaded rom new9008-0112.zip

  
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• Close QPST Configuration (QPST server)

• Run Windows 10 Start -> QPST -> QFil.exe, go to Configuration -> Firehose Configuration

• Tick Reset After Download

  
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• Select Port, make sure Qualcomm HS-USB QLoader 9008 (COM*) is selected

• Select Flat build in Select Build type.

• Click Browse... button right to Select Programmer
  

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• Select the mbn file from the rom into a the Programmer Path.

  
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• Click on Load XML… and select the two xml files (rawprogram0.xml and rawprogram0_BLANK.xml), and Open patch0.xml after that
  

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• And then click on Download button
  

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• Wait for 3 minutes

  • if it show download failed (USB connection issue), press Volume Up + Volume Down + Power button until you hear a Vibration. Reopen QFILE, try the same configuration and Download again
    image

• Wait for 2 minutes until you see Download Success and Download Finished. Next, Then, you need to click on Load XML, and only select the Rawprogram0.xml and the patch0.xml.

• Click Download button again.
  

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• If your phone die / brick during download as Unknown / Unrecognized USB device, follow these steps

  • Use your AC adapter to charge it for 2+ hours.
  • After 2 hours, make sure you've disconnected phone from USB of PC
  • Then press Volume Up + Volume Down + Power and hold for 20 seconds (you won't hear any vibration as now it's hard brick)
  • Connect phone to USB
  • It should show Qualcomm HS-USB QLoader 9008 (COM*) in Device Manager. If it's not, try to hold the 3 buttons while USB is connected for 20 seconds
  • After 9008 mode is enabled, restart from step Click on Load XML… and select the two xml files

After downloaded, the phone will reboot. and will show a screen “Decryption unsuccessful”. Now you will need to Click Reset the Phone button twice.

Wait for the phone restart for a couple of times. It will go to Encrypting screen.

Finally, Your Yota3+ will be booted.

Shots

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IMG_1686.JPG

More

The installed Yota3+ is not rooted and it could receive OTA update.
Wanna root your Yota3+?

References (and Credits)

• TWRP and Raw Yota3 7.1.1 ROM
• Magisk/SuperSu via TWRP and Magisk Manager
• Backup QCN
• Upgrade Yota3 China Android 7.1.1 to Yota3+ HongKong Android 8.

Original

• Original posted in Paul Lan's blog