Preface

Yesterday night, I upgraded my Yotaphone3 China version (Android 7.1.1, no Google apps) to Yota3+ HongKong version (Android 8.1.0 with all Google apps).

Yotaphone 3 China version upgraded to Yota3+ Android 8.1.0

Yota3+ has significant user experience improvement than Yota3 (China version), inherently with supporting all apps in back screen (E-ink screen), running Android 8.1.0 which is safer and crispy.

Check it out on Youtube

Caveats

Everything in your Yota3 will be wiped (lost)
There is a chance that your Yota3 may be ruined (brick)

All apps you need

Links Weiyun Yota3 to Yota3+ password：2ahhzj
Download it and unzip it

Prerequisites:

Windows 10
Yotaphone 3 (China edition, Android 7.1.1, 64G/128G)
ADB / fastboot binaries are put in your system PATH
- Don’t know how? Google it.
Windows 10 ADB drivers are installed
- For Chinese, try 驱动精灵 drivergenius
- For English speaker, please Google it
- Or try this one (not tested by Paul)
Download everything I provided upon and unzipped it in your local Drive.

Steps

Install TWRP & ROOT:

You must root your phone to backup QCN.

Enable Developer Mode / USB debugging

Go to Settings, About Phone -> hit Build Number 7 times to enable Developer mode
Go to Settings -> Advance settings -> Developer options
- Enable USB debugging
- Enable OEM unlock

fastboot flashing unlock and OEM unlock

Power down, disconnect from USB
Press Volume Down + Power button for 5s
Open Windows -> CMD and execute

fastboot flashing unlock
fastboot oem unlock

Don’t know how to open CMD? Google it.

(Explorer/File open the unzipped downloaded files folder, enter cmd in File location/Address bar and press Return/Enter key)

Install TWRP recovery:

Hold Power to shutdown, wait until the Battery charging symbol disappear if any
Hold Power and Volume Down for 10s

fastboot flash recovery rec.img
fastboot flash recoverybp rec.img
fastboot boot rec.img

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Use TWRP to restart your phone to System.
- Before restart, make sure you check Disable Stock Recovery so that in future, to press Volume UP + Power button would bring you to TWRP recovery

Factory Reset / Wipe everything:

Option #2: Android Factory Reset
- Go to Android Settings and perform Factory Reset
Option #1: Use TWRP to wipe
- User TWRP to wipe Internal Storage and data (Advanced Mode)
- Ignore all failures (mount failures, etc.)
- TWRP Restart to System

Enable Developer Mode / USB debugging

Go to Settings, About Phone -> hit Build Number 7 times to enable Developer mode
Go to Settings -> Advance settings -> Developer options
- Enable USB debugging
- Enable OEM unlock
Connect your Yota3 to Windows 10
Wait for ADB drivers installed if any
Open Windows 10 CMD and execute

adb devices

Unlock your Yota3, and authorize/agree the USB debugging request
Install MagiskManager via ADB install in Windows 10 CMD, exectute

adb install MagiskManager-v7.0.0.apk

Magisk Manager

Download Magisk zip
- Open MagiskManager app in your Yota3
- Tap Install
- Tap Download Zip only
TWRP Recover install Magisk
- Power off Yota3, disconnect USB
- Hold Power button + Volumn Up to TWRP Recovery
- After TWRP loaded, click Install, go to the file location Download / Magisk ***.zip, pick it and Swipe TWRP to confirm.
- Ignore all errors.
- Reboot to System. After Yota3 reboots, go to Magisk Manager app to check if the Magisk is installed

Backup QCN (IMEI)

You must backup your QCN(IMEI) file in case of loosing it, or your phone may not be able to connect to 4G anymore. As follows.
Open the downloaded files in your Windows 10
- Install QPST_2.7.474China
- Install QDLoader+HS-USB+Driver_64bit_Setup
- Restart Windows 10 as requested after the driver installed
Enable Qualcomm Diagnostics
- After Windows 10 restarted, connect the Rooted Yota3 to Windows 10 via USB
- Windows 10 CMD execute,

adb shell
su

Allow SuperSU
- Go to Yota3 to allow it in SuperSU (installed in Magisk already)
- After allowed SU, Windows CMD execute

setprop sys.usb.config diag

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Wait for Qualcomm USB Diagnostics Drivers installed in your Windows 10
- Right click Windows Start icon, open Device Manager
- Windows Start icon is the Start icon in the left-bottom of your Windows 10 desktop
Check Ports (COM & LPT), make sure Qualcomm HS-USB Diagnostics 900E(COM*) is shown

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QPST Configuration
- Go to Windows 10 Start icon -> QPST -> QPST Configuration, You could see a new Port is added, shown as,

Port: COM3, Phone: MSM8953(*****)

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If nothing is shown, that means your Yota3 is not rooted correctly or setprop sys.usb.config diag failed or USB connection is unstable
Click Menu -> Start Clients -> Software Download
Go to Backup tab; Select a location to back QCN, click Start.

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Wait for File status bar to be 100%. May need a couple of minutes. After finished, exit.

Upgrade to Android 8 Yota3+ HongKong international edition

Finally we are here.

Toggle off and on USB debugging
- Go to settings -> Advanced Settings -> Developer options, disable it and reenable it, and enable OEM unlock and USB debugging again
Put the Yota 3 on 9008 mode ( edl mode )
- Option #1 ADB

adb reboot edl

Option #2 3 buttons
- Power off and disconnect from USB
- Press “Vol +” + “Vol -” + “Power” buttons.
  
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- Connect USB
- Wait for Windows 10 completed Drivers installation.
- Download ROM of Yota3+ to your Yota3
Unzip the downloaded rom new9008-0112.zip

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Close QPST Configuration (QPST server)
Run Windows 10 Start -> QPST -> QFil.exe, go to Configuration -> Firehose Configuration
Tick Reset After Download

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Select Port, make sure Qualcomm HS-USB QLoader 9008 (COM*) is selected
Select Flat build in Select Build type.
Click Browse... button right to Select Programmer

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Select the mbn file from the rom into a the Programmer Path.

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Click on Load XML… and select the two xml files (rawprogram0.xml and rawprogram0_BLANK.xml), and Open patch0.xml after that

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And then click on Download button

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Wait for 3 minutes
- if it show download failed (USB connection issue), press Volume Up + Volume Down + Power button until you hear a Vibration. Reopen QFILE, try the same configuration and Download again
  
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Wait for 2 minutes until you see Download Success and Download Finished. Next, Then, you need to click on Load XML, and only select the Rawprogram0.xml and the patch0.xml.
Click Download button again.

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If your phone die / brick during download as Unknown / Unrecognized USB device, follow these steps
- Use your AC adapter to charge it for 2+ hours.
- After 2 hours, make sure you've disconnected phone from USB of PC
- Then press Volume Up + Volume Down + Power and hold for 20 seconds (you won't hear any vibration as now it's hard brick)
- Connect phone to USB
- It should show Qualcomm HS-USB QLoader 9008 (COM*) in Device Manager. If it's not, try to hold the 3 buttons while USB is connected for 20 seconds
- After 9008 mode is enabled, restart from step Click on Load XML… and select the two xml files