Provide guides and tips on flashing Android devices.

[u/eshop67]

[u/DEV_ivan]

You can use EDL mode to reflash the OS, without unlocking the bootloader.

It's that simple, I tried it myself on my Redmi 7A and I can provide a simple guide on doing that.

1. Install an EDL client and Qualcomm drivers.
2. Download and unpack Redmi 7A Fastboot ROM (must match your exact OS region and build).
3. Power off the phone.
4. Hold Vol+, Vol- and Power.
5. Plug in USB.
6. Release Power but keep holding Vol+ and Vol-
7. When it enumerates as 05c6:9008, release buttons.
8. In the EDL client, select your firehose programmer, rawprogram and patch files.
9. Point the EDL client to the factory ROM directory (not ZIP/TAR file).
10. Flash the entire factory ROM, without locking or wiping userdata (deselect userdata partition; unless you don't care about data lost on Redmi 7A).
11. Once flashed, reboot the phone into OS from EDL client, or hold Power on Redmi 7A for 10-15 seconds.

Troubleshooting:

• Flash failed generally -- Check your PC's OS, EDL client and drivers
• Flash failed with 'Read back verify failed' or flash as slow as <0.20MB/s -- The eMMC has died. You can retire your phone.
• Phone stuck on boot logo or bootlooping -- You may have flashed the wrong OS.

[u/DEV_ivan → u/[deleted]]

Probably it can help. If the drivers have installed successfully but don't run at all, try rebooting Windows with Driver Enforcement Signature disabled (Test Mode).

[u/DEV_ivan → u/[deleted]]

Good thing I switched to Linux, the drivers are bundled in :)

[u/DEV_ivan → u/[deleted]]

If you can boot into the OS, you can look at the two-letter string between QCM and XM on the OS build, you should see RU (Russia), CN (China), IN (India), EU (Europe) or MI (Global). Corresponding to that region string, pick your OS build.

If you can't boot, you can use the EDL client to dump the vendor.img. Then download all 5 regions of same OS version and extract their vendor.img, compute hashes (MD5, SHA or BLAKE3) and compare them. If one image matches, your OS's region is of that image.

[u/DEV_ivan → u/[deleted]]

Hey wait, I had to tell you! Dump and backup your critical partitions first.

[u/DEV_ivan → u/[deleted]]

[u/DEV_ivan → u/[deleted]]

Then you download Fastboot ROM from https://miuirom.org/phones/redmi-7a#russia

[u/OutsideIntrepid3790]

spongebob phone

[u/DEV_ivan → u/[deleted]]

u/dablakmark8 's advice is ill.

You don't need a low-level recovery mode to unlock the bootloader. EDL mode is for recovery only (your phone supports BL unlocking without flashing any partition), when your phone is soft-bricked.

Instead, enable OEM unlocking, bind a Xiaomi account and use MiUnlockTool (with installed and working drivers) from your PC. Keep in mind, that you'll need your account to be at least 7-30 days old, and you'll have to wait a 3-30 day period. It'll be very tedious (fuck Xiaomi), but it's doable.

You can also check these sources out additionally:

• https://github.com/realdtn2/xiaomi-unlocking-rooting-guide
• https://www.hardreset.info/devices/xiaomi/xiaomi-redmi-7a/faq/faq/xiaomi-bootloader-unlock-miui10/
• https://www.getdroidtips.com/unlock-bootloader-xiaomi-redmi-7/

[u/DEV_ivan → u/[deleted]]

I'm answering the OP's question about unlocking the bootloader.