Install /e/ on a Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro - “violet”

Tip: Please read through the instructions at least once before actually following them, so as to avoid any problems later.
Warning: Downgrading Smartphones already on Android Q or LineageOS 17.x to Pie or other OS can cause instability or at worst brick some devices
Warning: Flash your device only if you know what you are doing and are OK taking the associated risk. The /e/ project and its project members deny any and all responsibility about the consequences of using /e/ software and or /e/ services.
Tip: Installing a custom recovery or unlocking the bootloader will erase all data on your device! Take a backup of your data before proceeding!!

Requirements

  • Take a backup of all important data on your phone before proceeding.
  • A guide on backing up with TWRP is available here
  • Ensure your phone is charged more than 50%
  • Check that adb and fastboot are enabled on your PC. If not you can find the setup instructions here
  • Download all the files and images mentioned in the download section below before starting the installation
  • Make sure you have a working data cable to connect your device to the PC. There are cables which are only for charging and do not transfer data.
  • Enable USB debugging on your device. You can find the instructions here

Downloads for the violet

Tip: Download of TWRP is not required if you already have it running on your phone
Tip: Xiaomi users when reverting to the stock MiUi ROM use the Mi Flash Tool. This requires a windows PC. Linux users can try an alternate method to flash the stock ROM. They can unzip the ROM file and run the flash-all.sh file from a console screen.

Alert: Please note some of the above links can lead to external sites

Unlocking the bootloader

Tip:The steps given below only need to be run once per device.
Warning: Unlocking the bootloader will erase all data on your device! Before proceeding, ensure the data you would like to retain is backed up to your PC and/or an online drive
  1. Visit Xiaomi’s official unlocking website and apply for unlocking permissions.
  2. Wait until you get the approval, which may take some days.
  3. At the same time, link the device to your Mi account in Settings > Additional settings > Developer options > Mi Unlock status. This step is mandatory and will trigger a countdown of 360 hours, the waiting period before a device can be unlocked.
  4. Once you get the approval, visit the website again and you will be redirected to the Mi Unlock app download page.
  5. Download the Mi Unlock app (Windows is required to run the app).
  6. Once the 360 hours waiting period is over, run the Mi Unlock app and follow the instructions provided by the app.
  7. After device and Mi account are successfully verified, the bootloader should be unlocked.
  8. Since the device resets completely, you will need to re-enable USB debugging to continue.

A Mi account is required to apply for permissions. You don’t need to re-apply for permissions to unlock new devices, but beware that one account is only allowed to unlock one unique device every 30 days.

It is highly recommended to have the latest official MIUI dev package installed on the device, before proceeding with unlock.

Booting a custom recovery using fastboot

1. Before proceeding ensure you have downloaded the custom recovery from the link given in the Download section above

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
Tip: If you see no permissions fastboot while on Linux or macOS, try running fastboot as root
Tip: Some devices have buggy USB support while in bootloader mode. If fastboot hangs with no output when using commands such as fastboot getvar .. , fastboot boot …, fastboot flash … try a different USB port (preferably a USB Type-A 2.0 one) or a USB hub

5. Temporarily flash a recovery onto your device by typing

fastboot flash boot twrp-x.x.x-x-violet.img

on some devices the below command may be required

fastboot boot twrp-x.x.x-x-violet.img

or

fastboot flash recovery twrp-x.x.x-x-violet.img

6. Now reboot into recovery to verify the installation.

Tip: On some devices if the device does not boot into TWRP you could try it manually by following these steps
  • With the device powered off, hold Volume Up + Power. Keep holding both buttons until the “MI” logo appears on the screen, then release.

Installing /e/ from recovery

1. Before proceeding ensure you have downloaded the /e/OS for your device, from the link given in the Downloads section above

2. If you aren’t already in recovery mode, reboot into recovery mode by typing the below command in the console of an adb enabled PC

adb reboot recovery
Tip: You can also do this manually using the below key combination
  • With the device powered off, hold Volume Up + Power. Keep holding both buttons until the “MI” logo appears on the screen, then release.

3. In TWRP return to main menu, then tap Wipe

4. Now tap Format Data and continue with the formatting process.

This will remove encryption as well as delete all files stored on the internal storage. Remember to take a backup first. Check Requirements section above.

5. Return to the previous menu and tap Advanced Wipe.

6. Select the Cache and System partitions to be wiped and then Swipe to Wipe

7. Sideload the /e/ .zip package.

Tip: Sideload requires actions in two places to be done. One on your phone in the TWRP UI and secondly on the connected PC which should have adb enabled. Also note the sideload process while running may stop abruptly around 50%. The console would show a message Total xfer: 1.00x. This would mean that the transfer has successfully completed.
  • On the device in TWRP,

    select Advanced, ADB Sideload, then swipe to begin sideload.

  • On the host machine, in the console , start the sideload of the package by typing
adb sideload filename.zip
Tip: Change the filename to the name of the file you downloaded

8. Once installation has finished, return to the main menu, tap Reboot, and then System

Warning: Avoid installing any additional apps or services if suggested by the recovery. They may cause your device to bootloop, as well as attempt to access and or corrupt your data.
Success: Congratulations !! Your phone should now be booting into /e/OS !!
To find some troubleshooting tips… click here

adb

  • Getting a Total xFer ':' 0.01x message - Try to upload the /e/OS to internal storage and retry to install
  • adb ':' sideload connection failed ':' insufficient permissions for device error - Try to execute the commands adb kill-server and adb start-server and retry
  • Running adb shell twrp install /sdcard/</e/ zip package> raise non-existent directory error - Try to check solution here
  • Getting an insufficient permissions error - Try the solution given here
  • When running "adb devices" in bash a device is shown as "unauthorized" - Try the solution given here

TWRP

  • Errors while running TWRP version 3.4.x.x or above - Try downloading and using a previous TWRP version.. below 3.4.x.x
  • In TWRP if this error shows up failed to mount /preload - Try in TWRP wipe screen in advanced menu select preload and swipe to wipe
  • /cache/recovery/xxx -> no such file or directory error while flashing a ROM - On PC run adb shell in the console now create a folder called recovery for e.g. here the devicecode name is violet "violet :/cache# mkdir recovery"



Tip: If you find an issue with this installation document or to suggest any improvements , Please add your suggestions to this topic on our community forum

This documentation “Install /e/ on Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro - violet” is a derivative of “install LineageOS on violet” by The LineageOS Project, used under CC BY.