Install custom Android OS on ginkgo

Basic requirements

1. Make sure your computer has adb and fastboot. Setup instructions can be found here.
2. Enable USB debugging on your device.

Unlocking the bootloader

1. Create a Mi account on Xiaomi’s website.
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   Tip: A Mi account is required to unlock the bootloader. Beware that one account is only allowed to unlock one unique device every 30 days.
2. Add a phone number to your Mi account.
3. Insert a SIM into your phone.
4. Enable developer options in Settings > About Phone by repeatedly tapping MIUI Version.
5. Link the device to your Mi account in Settings > Additional settings > Developer options > Mi Unlock status.
6. Download the Mi Unlock app (Windows is required to run the app).
7. Run the Mi Unlock app and follow the instructions provided by the app.
   info_outline

   Note: The app may tell you that you have to wait up to 30 days. If it does so, please wait the quoted amount of time before continuing to the next step.
8. After device and Mi account are successfully verified, the bootloader should be unlocked.
9. Since the device resets completely, you will need to re-enable USB debugging to continue.

Installing a custom recovery using fastboot

1. Download a custom recovery - you can download TWRP. Simply download the latest recovery file, named something like twrp-x.x.x-x-ginkgo.img.
2. Connect your device to your PC via USB.
3. On the computer, open a command prompt (on Windows) or terminal (on Linux or macOS) window, and type:

   adb reboot bootloader
   

   You can also boot into fastboot mode via a key combination:

   • With the device powered off, hold Volume Down + Power. Keep holding both buttons until the word “FASTBOOT” appears on the screen, then release.
4. Once the device is in fastboot mode, verify your PC finds it by typing:

   fastboot devices
   

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   Tip: If you see no permissions fastboot while on Linux or macOS, try running fastboot as root.
5. Flash recovery onto your device:

   fastboot flash recovery <recovery_filename>.img
   

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   Tip: The file may not be named identically to what stands in this command, so adjust accordingly.
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   Tip: Some devices have buggy USB support while in bootloader mode, if you see fastboot hanging with no output when using commands such as fastboot getvar .. , fastboot boot ..., fastboot flash ... you may want to try a different USB port (preferably a USB Type-A 2.0 one) or a USB hub.
6. Now reboot into recovery to verify the installation:
   • With the device powered off, hold Volume Up + Power. Keep holding both buttons until the “Redmi” logo appears on the screen, then release.

   Alternatively, on some devices and recoveries you can use fastboot to boot directly into the freshly flashed or any other desired recovery:

   fastboot boot <recovery_filename>.img
   

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   Tip: The file may not be named identically to what stands in this command, so adjust accordingly.

Installing Android OS from recovery

1. Download the Custom Android Rom that you would like to install.

   • Optionally, download additional application packages such as Google Apps (use the arm64 architecture).
2. If you are not in recovery, reboot into recovery:
   • With the device powered off, hold Volume Up + Power. Keep holding both buttons until the “Redmi” logo appears on the screen, then release.
3. Now tap Wipe.
4. Now tap Format Data and continue with the formatting process. This will remove encryption and delete all files stored in the internal storage.
5. Sideload the Android OS .zip package:
   • On the device, select “Advanced”, “ADB Sideload”, then swipe to begin sideload.
   • On the host machine, sideload the package using: adb sideload filename.zip.
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     Tip: Normally, adb will report Total xfer: 1.00x, but in some cases, even if the process succeeds the output will stop at 47% and report adb: failed to read command: Success. In some cases it will report adb: failed to read command: No error which is also fine.

6. (Optionally): If you want to install any add-ons, run adb reboot sideload, then adb sideload filename.zip those packages in sequence.

   info_outline

   Note: Add-ons aren’t signed with Android OS’s official key, and therefore when they are sideloaded, Recovery will present a screen that says Signature verification failed, this is expected, please click Continue.
   info_outline

   Note: If you want the Google Apps add-on on your device, you must follow this step before booting into Android OS for the first time!
7. Once you have installed everything successfully, click the back arrow in the top left of the screen, then “Reboot system now”.
8. (Optional): Root your device by installing Magisk.

Installing Kernel from recovery

1. Download the Custom Kernel that you would like to install.

2. If you are not in recovery, reboot into recovery:
   • With the device powered off, hold Volume Up + Power. Keep holding both buttons until the “Redmi” logo appears on the screen, then release.
3. Now tap Install and select Kernel package .zip

4. Once you have installed everything successfully, click the back arrow in the top left of the screen, then “Reboot system now”.

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   Warning: Depending on which recovery you use, you may be prompted to install additional apps and services. We strongly advise you to opt out of installing these, as they may cause your device to bootloop, as well as attempt to access or corrupt your data.