As more people are receiving their Mate 8s and participation in the forum increases, I'm noticing large and growing threads where information on various topics is actually getting scattered across multiple threads. For example, on questions relating to syncing the Mate 8's contacts/calendar with Google, I believe I've seen questions and responses get posted across no less than 4 different threads, if not more. As these threads grow, this information is getting buried and less cohesively identified with info pertaining to the exact same topic, but on another thread.
So, in an attempt to refocus the topic of ROOTING (also discussed on various threads now) to one easily sourceable location, I am starting this thread. The hope being that any latest updates and details on rooting the Mate 8 can be consolidated here (at least until a true verifiable guide can be posted) so that interested members need not go hunting all over the place.
Currently, there isn't a much detailed information out there about how and what process(es) to use to root a Mate 8, but a number of people (myself included) are very interested and it's likely more will be looking soon. There have been a few "guides" thrown out there already, but these have turned out to be totally untested for the Mate 8 and later unsuccessful when attempted by members. So if anyone has updated info on how to achieve rooted status, please do share, since only the following (below) seems to be where we stand based on what's already been discussed:
Locked Bootloader
For some/many including myself, it seems the Mate 8 is the first Huawei phone we have purchased, with one previously unknown aspect being that Huawei locks its bootloader, which can't be unlocked within settings-->developer options, or other means. As such, using the power + volume keys is ineffective to boot into any other system status, such as recovery mode or bootloader mode to even attempt a root process
Unlocking the Bootloader
There have been discussions about how to achieve this and it appears Huawei can be contacted directly and a bootloader unlock key can be requested for a user's specific phone by providing Huawei with the phone's IMEI and some other information (for prior Huawei owners who have done this, forgive the rest of our ignorance). There is a specific link on Huawei's website where this can be requested: http://emui.huawei.com/en/plugin.php?id=hwdownload&mod=list
What's Next?
Surprisingly, this is pretty much as far as the discussions have gone to date. In fact, no one has posted as to whether or not they have even heard back from Huawei and successfully unlocked their bootloader with a provided key (or by any other means). Moreover, once the bootloader is unlocked, what the next appropriate steps might be(?). At present there are no custom recovery tools such as TWRP available for the Mate 8, so I presume a rooting process, if achieveable in the near-term would involve adb command lines. But this is where I and others are really hoping for the expertise and insight of other members. Please let the forum know if/when you have additional info!
:good:
I can shed a little bit of light on this, I think.
There is a Chinese forum which shows rooting process:
http://bbs.xxroot.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=1434&extra=page=1
You have to register and reply to see the download section, so I will paste it here:
(Original Chinese)
如果您不懂怎么操作，请点此进入淘宝连接购买 ，请认准店名为：智酷网安卓论坛
请先申请华为解锁码解锁BL
目前官网未开放此机型解锁码申请，如有需要请联系QQ:1654068666购买！
申请到解锁码之后，到下载中心搜索 NXT-AL10 下载相应ROOT资料。
360平台 淘宝平台的技师请勿下载，如果需要资料请联系超版，全套价格详谈
(English Translation from Google)
If you do not know how to operate, please click here to enter Taobao connection later, look for its name as follows: Chi Cool Sites Andrews Forum
Please apply for Huawei unlock code to unlock BL
Official website is currently not open this type unlock code application, if necessary, contact QQ: 1654068666 to buy!
After application to the unlock code to the Download Center Search NXT-AL10 download the ROOT data.
Technicians 360 platform Taobao platform do not download, if you need information, please contact the Ultra Edition, a full-price dwell
(Links)
Taobao shop link: https://shop116709821.world.taobao.com/
Download link: http://bbs.xxroot.com/plugin.php?id=downloadcenter
That is as far as I've gotten, because they require money to download the rooting tool (which won't even work unless the bootloader is unlocked.) Huawei says that I need to have had my account on my device for 14 days before I can get an unlock code, so I'm waiting for two weeks to try and do that. If anyone has any more information, it would help, but that seems to be the only place I've seen a successful root.
duraaraa said:
I can shed a little bit of light on this, I think.
There is a Chinese forum which shows rooting process:
http://bbs.xxroot.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=1434&extra=page=1
You have to register and reply to see the download section, so I will paste it here:
(Original Chinese)
如果您不懂怎么操作，请点此进入淘宝连接购买 ，请认准店名为：智酷网安卓论坛
请先申请华为解锁码解锁BL
目前官网未开放此机型解锁码申请，如有需要请联系QQ:1654068666购买！
申请到解锁码之后，到下载中心搜索 NXT-AL10 下载相应ROOT资料。
360平台 淘宝平台的技师请勿下载，如果需要资料请联系超版，全套价格详谈
(English Translation from Google)
If you do not know how to operate, please click here to enter Taobao connection later, look for its name as follows: Chi Cool Sites Andrews Forum
Please apply for Huawei unlock code to unlock BL
Official website is currently not open this type unlock code application, if necessary, contact QQ: 1654068666 to buy!
After application to the unlock code to the Download Center Search NXT-AL10 download the ROOT data.
Technicians 360 platform Taobao platform do not download, if you need information, please contact the Ultra Edition, a full-price dwell
(Links)
Taobao shop link: https://shop116709821.world.taobao.com/
Download link: http://bbs.xxroot.com/plugin.php?id=downloadcenter
That is as far as I've gotten, because they require money to download the rooting tool (which won't even work unless the bootloader is unlocked.) Huawei says that I need to have had my account on my device for 14 days before I can get an unlock code, so I'm waiting for two weeks to try and do that. If anyone has any more information, it would help, but that seems to be the only place I've seen a successful root.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks duraaraa, this is helpful. I live in China so I'm thinking I may stop by one of the big electronics markets here this week to see if these guys are actually able to apply a proper root yet. Even if they can, however, that doesn't necessarily mean I'm going to have them do it for my Mate 8, simply because there are many things I don't trust here, and having a stranger monkeying around with my mobile--presumably with some unknown piece of software to allow superuser access to the system--probably qualifies as one of those things. (Of course, that may all be moot anyway, since who knows if Huawei has left some type of backdoor on the phone for the Chinese government...but that's another topic to be filed under "paranoia" I suppose.) Also, I understand you not wanting to pay some strangers (who can't speak any English) money over Taobao for this just quite yet. With all the scams and cheating that goes on here, good luck getting any recourse if it's just another one of those. Or even if it's legit but problems arise, the language barrier for non-Mandarin speakers to seek support would be huge.
Question: when you say you need the account on your device for 14 days, what do you mean by that? It's not enough to create an account online and request the unlock key with your IMEI and other info from the website form? Do they actually want to verify that you've accessed your Huawei account from your phone, like through one of the 20 Huawei apps they've pre-installed? And only after doing that will the 14-day clock start?
CitizenM said:
Thanks duraaraa, this is helpful. I live in China so I'm thinking I may stop by one of the big electronics markets here this week to see if these guys are actually able to apply a proper root yet. Even if they can, however, that doesn't necessarily mean I'm going to have them do it for my Mate 8, simply because there are many things I don't trust here, and having a stranger monkeying around with my mobile--presumably with some unknown piece of software to allow superuser access to the system, probably qualifies as one of those things. (Of course, that may all be moot anyway, since who knows if Huawei has left some type of backdoor on the phone for the Chinese government...but that's another topic to be filed under "paranoia" I suppose.) Also, I understand you not wanting to pay some strangers (who can't speak any English) money over Taobao for this just quite yet. With all the scams and cheating that goes on here, good luck getting any recourse if it's just another one of those. Or even if it's legit but problems arise, the language barrier for non-Mandarin speakers to seek support would be huge.
Question: when you say you need the account on your device for 14 days, what do you mean by that? It's not enough to create an account online and request the unlock key with your IMEI and other info from the website form? Do they actually want to verify that you've accessed your Huawei account from your phone, like through one of the 20 Huawei apps they've pre-installed? And only after doing that will the 14-day clock start?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you live in China, hopefully you can get better information than I can!
As for the account, it just says you need to have it registered on the phone for 14 days. There is a setting in options where you enter your huawei ID. I imagine it is that. I will let you know if it worked in about 12 days
duraaraa said:
If you live in China, hopefully you can get better information than I can!
As for the account, it just says you need to have it registered on the phone for 14 days. There is a setting in options where you enter your huawei ID. I imagine it is that. I will let you know if it worked in about 12 days
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Got it thanks. There's another member @opteron88 who is probably a few days ahead of you with his request. Hopefully he comes back with some useful info.
How about the guarantee?
EcoDan said:
How about the guarantee?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure what you mean by this. Do you mean, upon rooting, how does that affect the warranty? I personally don't know, but if I had to guess, I imagine the official manufacturer position is that it would technically void the warranty. Of course, this can be reversed by unrooting and reflashing any custom recovery back to stock. But this is putting the cart before the horse, since many of us are most probably interested in determining how to root and not so much what the manufacturer's official standpoint on rooting is.
The phone has been out for a while now, we must be getting close to someone having waited 14 days?
Looking back, i registered on the Huawei site on the 21st of December, which by my count is over 14 days as long as they don't take into account Bank holidays. I tried to request the bootloader last night i got the "you have to wait 14 days" message. I will try again when i get home, as i don't have all the details with me right now.
Edit: found all the details on the phone itself, and still get the same error message.
There´s a Bootloader- Unlock Code Request-Thread at HuaweiClub, but i cant tell that requests have been answered yet...
http://en.club.vmall.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=33654
I also tried various Root Methods (kingo, Angel root, Genuis ect) but Marschmallow still seem to be unbreakable, maybe because of the Bootloader Lock...
As for BBS root, you need a weibo account and need to pay credits for downloading the root software, i tried this but did not want to add a credit card or anything.
i found a root guide on another chinese forum, this time with actual screenshots.
http://www.114shouji.com/show-15796-1-1.html
altaz said:
i found a root guide on another chinese forum, this time with actual screenshots.
http://www.114shouji.com/show-15796-1-1.html
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Looks like a unlocked Bootloader is still required to use Custom Recovery ... im still waiting for a reply from huaweiclub unlock request thread... :crying:
altaz said:
i found a root guide on another chinese forum, this time with actual screenshots.
http://www.114shouji.com/show-15796-1-1.html
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Found this from that link, http://www.114shouji.com/show-15794-1-1.html
To me it looks like that looks like Huawei will give out keys via this method, just after the 2 weeks.
altaz said:
i found a root guide on another chinese forum, this time with actual screenshots.
http://www.114shouji.com/show-15796-1-1.html
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
altaz,
Were you able to get the unlock code yet? In your first post on this thread that you mentioned you registered on the site on Dec. 21st. By my count that's over 14 days, but the message the website kicks back when applying for the unlock code talks about the ID being used on the phone for more than 14 days. Did you login on your phone via settings the same day you registered your ID online?
In fact, can you (and anyone else) confirm that this is the message you also received when applying for the unlock code on Huawei's site: "The Huawei ID used to apply for the unlock code has not been used on the device for more than 14 days." I would imagine someone's had to have already passed this mark, or if not, damn near close by now(?).
I've tried again today, and received the same setting. I read on one of the vmall forums that the english site doesn't work and that you should use the Chinese site. So i went to the Chinese site, and again received the same error message.
I originally registered on the phone itself for the HiCare app and HiCloud, received activiation emails which confirmed that the activation went through. I then noticed though that there seems to be another level of activation. You can get there by going to Settings > Huawei ID > Member
On this screen there is a message under my email that states "Activate Huawei membership, enjoy exclusive services". Now, everytime i click on this to activate i receive an error message saying "Can't connect to server, touch to refresh". Tried refresh lots of times, but doesn't work. Been through all my network/system settings and given everything network access, still doesn't work. I've tried it while connecting to WiFi, 3G and 4G, and it's still the same.
I've pretty much given up hope of getting past this screen, and added it to the growing list of "software/connectivity" quirks i am experiencing with EMUI.
hello I am French and I managed to unlock the bootloader My Mate 8NXT - AL10 without having to go through the Huawei website I will give you the procedure. you must register on the site www.dc-unlocker.com and download their software that you install on your computer.I give you the link where everything is explained: www.dc-unlocker.com/how-to-read-huawei-bootloader-unlock-code and https://www.dc-unlocker.com/free-huawei-bootloader-unlock-tutorial.
following the procedure the software will give you the unlocking code against 16 figures will have to pay 4 euros.
For me it worked for and I could unlock the bootloader
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Confirmed! Tool works, after reading "bootloader code", fastboot oem unlock - worked. WARNING : WILL CAUSE FACTORY RESET!!!
Now, anyone with a root tutorial?
lorenzw said:
hello I am French and I managed to unlock the bootloader My Mate 8NXT - AL10 without having to go through the Huawei website I will give you the procedure. you must register on the site www.dc-unlocker.com and download their software that you install on your computer.I give you the link where everything is explained: www.dc-unlocker.com/how-to-read-huawei-bootloader-unlock-code and https://www.dc-unlocker.com/free-huawei-bootloader-unlock-tutorial.
following the procedure the software will give you the unlocking code against 16 figures will have to pay 4 euros.
For me it worked for and I could unlock the bootloader
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As my experience with p8max, after bootloader unlock cant get air update. In this case need manual install new firmware but right now dont have download link for new firmware and tutorials upgrade. Mate8 is still new and need more time to have a developers. Till now i happy with factory default
quynh2v said:
As my experience with p8max, after bootloader unlock cant get air update. In this case need manual install new firmware but right now dont have download link for new firmware and tutorials upgrade. Mate8 is still new and need more time to have a developers. Till now i happy with factory default
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Would it be possible to flash the international rom when its available and then relock the bootloader and recieve OTA updates for the international version when every other international one gets theres?
Sorry, never had an android and havent properly researched all this stuff, waiting until I get the phone in my hands first.
thomascook said:
Confirmed! Tool works, after reading "bootloader code", fastboot oem unlock - worked. WARNING : WILL CAUSE FACTORY RESET!!!
Now, anyone with a root tutorial?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well, in theory, u could now try the established root methods out there
push the root file onto the phone via adb then flash it through the stock recovery...
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
Hi, when i login to the website: en.ui.vmall.com/plugin.php?id=unlock
it redirect me directly to the home page of huawei website !
Why ?
I can't unlock my bootloader because of this problem.
Thank you .
i tried also to unlock bootloader, but just redirects to huawei site.
use internet explorer , it happened to me on chrome exactly the same thing , or try with mozilla firefox.It will work.
Use Firefox or IE, and just go directly to the emui site, login and go to downloads, them select unlock bootloader, and one thing, since the site changed put HUAWEI VNS-L21/31 instead of only VNS-L21/31
Worked
It worked with IE ! Thanks a lot !
After a while it worked with IE, thanks
Please note that Huawei here in South Africa just advised that Huawei has ceased providing bootloader unlock codes. Seems this is now applies internationally as well.