Install /e/OS on a Xiaomi Mi A1 - “tissot”

The instructions in this guide will assist you to install /e/OS on your tissot. Please read through the instructions at least once before actually following them, so as to avoid any problems later.

It is important that you know that downgrading Smartphones on OS versions greater than the /e/OS OS version you plan to install, can cause instability or at worst brick some devices. We recommend that you check your current OS version, before attempting the installation.

It is advisable to flash your device only if you know what you are doing and are ok taking the associated risk. All /e/OS builds are provided as best effort, without any guarantee. The /e/OS project and its project members deny any and all responsibility about the consequences of using /e/OS software and or /e/OS services.

Requirements

  • If required take a backup of all important data from your phone on an external storage device before proceeding.
  • Do not take a backup on the same device as some of these actions will format the device and delete the backup.
  • 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
  • Make sure that your model is listed in the Smartphone Selector. Check the model supported. Where available, information on the model supported should show as a pop-up when you hover the cursor on the Device name. The model number supported should be the exact same.
  • Boot your device with the stock OS at least once and check every functionality.
Warning: Make sure that you can send and receive SMS and place and receive calls (also via WiFi and LTE, if available), otherwise it will not work on /e/OS as well. Additionally, some devices require that VoLTE/VoWiFi be utilized once on stock to provision IMS.

Please share your experience , suggest tips or changes to this install guide documentation by visiting the Mi A1 specific topic on our community forum.

To report issues in /e/OS please refer this guide

Downloads for tissot

To understand the difference between /e/OS builds check this guide

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
Warning: Some vendors/manufacturers prevent the bootloader from being unlocked. Depending on where your device was acquired you may or may not be able to unlock the bootloader. To verify if your device is compatible please check the devices list.
Tip: It is highly recommended to have the latest official MIUI dev package installed on the device, before proceeding with unlock.
  1. Create a Mi account on Xiaomi’s website.
  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. It 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.

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.

Temporarily Booting a custom recovery using fastboot

  1. Connect your device to your PC via USB.

  2. On the computer, open a command prompt (on Windows) or terminal (on Linux or macOS) window, and type:
     adb reboot bootloader
    
  3. Once the device is in fastboot mode, verify your PC finds it by typing:
     fastboot devices
    
  4. Flash a recovery image onto your device
     fastboot flash boot recoveryfilename.img
    

    Replace the recoveryfilename with the name of the recovery image you downloaded in the previous section

  5. Manually reboot into recovery mode
  • With the device powered off
  • hold Volume Up + Power.Keep holding both buttons until the “MI” logo appears on the screen, then release.
Tip: Outdated fastboot releases dropped legacy A/B support, so it might attempt to flash to boot__a / boot__b rather than boot_a / boot_b if you try to flash boot. In this case, you must update fastboot to a release newer than or equal to 31.0.2. Alternatively, you can manually specify which slot to flash to based on what slot fastboot failed to flash to. For example, if fastboot fails to flash to boot__a, you must flash to boot_a.

Installing /e/OS 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.
  1. In TWRP return to main menu, then tap Wipe

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

    Here a new screen may show where you will have to type Yes and confirm the action by clicking a button.

    Caution: Format Data will remove encryption as well as delete all files stored on the internal storage. Remember to take a backup first. Check Requirements section above.
  3. Sideload the /e/OS .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
  4. 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/OS 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"

Connectivity

  • Trying to troubleshoot mobile connectivity issues - Read this guide



Please share your experience , suggest tips or changes to this install guide documentation by visiting the Mi A1 specific topic on our community forum.

To report issues in /e/OS please refer this guide

This documentation “Install /e/OS on a Xiaomi Mi A1 - “tissot”” is a derivative of “install LineageOS on tissot” by The LineageOS Project, used under CC BY.