Unlocking boot loader Redmi Note 9 PRO

Boldos

Hi there,
I need a new Ubuntu phone, since my current Meizu PRO 5 is dying slowly.

I have access to a Redmi Note 9 PRO device, and (as usual) prior to installing Ubuntu Touch the device needs to be unlocked.

Looking over the internet, I'm actually quite confused about what "unlockig this device" actually means, which steps to take, because:

Activating developer mode and Enabling OEM unlock is fine...
But then some of the HowTos suggest creating Xiaomi account? And a need to wait 160h for "something somewhere" to activate?
Also, lots of online HowTo require to download a Windows-based "Mi Unlock" tool to further unlock the bootloader? (I do not have a windows machine anywehere...)

I do not have such a big understanding of the Android internals, so I do not want to e.g. brick the device by my own incompetence.

Can please anybody here please help and put down a clear list of actions, how to fully unlock the Xiaomi device using Linux?

Thank you a lot in advance.

zubozrout

@Boldos Hi, you should be able to use an alternative tool available for Linux as well:
https://www.xiaomitool.com/V2/

Regarding the Xiaomi account though yes, that seems to be needed. That is something you need to log in with in the system settings (under the OEM Unlocking section) while still having the original OS installed. Then the same credentials will be used for the unlock tool, but unfortunately yes, Xiaomi's policy is that you have to wait a week until you can do so.

But to not keep your hopes up it doesn't seem like Redmi Note 9 Pro will be getting Focal anytime soon or ever as the original maintainer didn't finish this transformation and so far no-one who would be capable of doing it has stepped in unfortunately.

MrT10001

@zubozrout Your link to the unlock tool gives a Trojan warning.

I have never been able to unlock an Xiaomi device in Linux and the only device without the Unlock tool that I have unlocked is the Mi A2 which was not on the Mi OS bloatware.

You usually have to wait a week (168 hours) to unlock the boot loader and do not relock it as it has a high potential for bricking the device.

As for Xenial and Focal, Xenial is end of life, but still works and works well on a lot of devices.

zubozrout

@MrT10001 In that case go through GitHub: https://github.com/francescotescari/XiaoMiToolV2
Very interesting though, I've never seen such warning on this page . I only know this tool has been around for quite some time. And I used it with at least two (maybe 3) devices already over the years.

Edit: However, you might be right regarding it not always working. You can probably give it a try but anything but unlocking the bootloader might not be safe any more due to the tool being outdated and even unlocking the bootloader might no longer work according to this: https://github.com/francescotescari/XiaoMiToolV2/issues/102

If that is the case then I would suggest setting up a virtual machine like VirtualBox, enabling USB access to the phone and running Windows inside temporarily to unlock your phone. That works as well, albeit it is not much convenient.

However, there is no rush. Firstly one needs to ask Xiaomi to generously unlock one's own phone, then there is the waiting period and only after the 7 days this or any other tool comes up and unlocks the phone (and simultaneously also wipes all data).

MrT10001

@zubozrout said in Unlocking boot loader Redmi Note 9 PRO:

However, there is no rush. Firstly one needs to ask Xiaomi to generously unlock one's own phone, then there is the waiting period and only after the 7 days this or any other tool comes up and unlocks the phone (and simultaneously also wipes all data).

Yes, not a fan of Xiaomi's unlocking bootloader procedure. I have a few lined up for unlocking and I might just not bother.

zubozrout

@MrT10001 I 100% agree with that, but I guess Xiaomi users are still lucky it is at least possible. There are vendors which won't let you "own" a purchased device at all (in a sense of doing whatever you want with it).