[Re-released] Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite Android 10 update triggered bootloop/bricking problem acknowledged

New updates are being added at the bottom of this story…….

Original story (published on March 11, 2020) follows:

Android 10 for the Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite was welcome with a lot of delight by many users who have been eagerly awaiting the dropping of this new piece of software.

While the update process was fine for most people, the same was a nightmare for a good number of users. This is because the update broke their Mi A2 Lite devices, rendering it unusable as the devices would not boot. Stuck in an endless boot loop. You can read more about that here.

In our earlier coverage, we highlighted the plight of the affected users and their dire cries for help from Xiaomi or any developer who understood what was happening to their devices after this, seemingly routine update.

With such a widespread issue, Xiaomi was bound to address the problem and help the affected user. I mean, we have seen update roll-outs halted/suspended for far less than this.

And the company indeed has acknowledged this problem. A Senior Moderator on Xiaomi’s Mi Community has come out to help users who have been affected by this problem to recover and restore access to their devices. He explains that,

A/B system updates use two sets of partitions referred to as slots (normally slot A and slot B). The system runs from the current slot while the partitions in the unused slot are not accessed by the running system during normal operation. This approach makes updates fault resistant by keeping the unused slot as a fallback: If an error occurs during or immediately after an update, the system can rollback to the old slot and continue to have a working system.
Source

Essentiall, A/B partitions on modern Android phones act as a ‘System Restore’. So if one partition, the active one gets compromised via an update, the system can restore a working, untouched copy of the same from the other partition.

For Mi A2 Lite users who have been affected, the quick-fix solution could be as simple as just switching over to the untouched partition and you will be able to boot up into your phone. To do this, follow the following procedure:

First, you will need these two.

Switching or rollback between the partitions

Hold down Volume Down + Power button, simultaneously to enter Fastboot mode

Plug your device via USB cable to your PC/Laptop

Launch the Command prompt with administrative privileges, right-click the result and then click “Run as Administrator.”

To find out the Active partition, type the following command:-

fastboot getvar all

then press Enter, it should return “(bootloader) current-slot:x” value.

After knowing the Active slot, just switch to the other, type the following command:-

fastboot set_active a
OR
fastboot set_active b
OR
fastboot set_active other

It should return “OKAY” once successful
Next, Reboot your device.
Source

You can try this process to try to recover your Mi A2 Lite after the update to Android 10.

While this process might seem a little complicated for the average smartphone user, it really is straight-forward. However, users shouldn’t have to jump over these hoops in the first place.

Xiaomi should, therefore, find a way to better help the affected users. We shall continue to keep an eye on this story and update accordingly.

After many cases of bootlooping and bricking Mi A2 Lite units, Xiaomi has pulled the update to Android 10, but there is no clarity on when the patched-up version will be released. See the full story here.

Xiaomi has acknowledged the issues faced by Mi A2 Lite users and has issued an official statement. Check the statement here.

A patched-up version of Android 10 OS is now up for grabs. Check out the full story here.

No Android 10 bug fix yet as users on Android Pie receive March security patch. Head here for the full coverage.

The Android 10 update for the Mi A2 Lite has been re-released. Head here for more coverage.

NOTE: For more Xiaomi stories, check out our dedicated Xiaomi section.

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