Install EMUI 8.0-based Android Oreo on Honor 9 (STF-L09)

•Written by Dhananjay Bhardwaj
Install EMUI 8-based Android Oreo on Honor 9 - Featured Image

Android Oreo is rolling out for Huawei Honor devices, but it seems that the Honor 9 devices haven’t received it yet. Follow this guide to install Android Oreo on Honor 9 (STF-L09) right now.

As Huawei is gearing up for the new Oreo update for its flagship devices, it seems like only the Chinese variants are being focused on. Users over at XDA have reported that the Global variant of Honor 9 – STF-L09 is being left out of the update. We are not quite sure on when Huawei will be rolling out the update for the said device. Following the steps here in this tutorial, you will be able to install official Android Oreo on Honor 9.

Install EMUI 8-based Android Oreo on Honor 9 (STF-L09B321)
How to Install EMUI 8-based Android Oreo on Honor 9
Table of Contents

Download and Install Android Oreo on Honor 9 (STF-L09C432)

Huawei is rolling out EMUI 8.0 to devices like the Honor 8 Pro (V9), which will bring several new features to the device. While Huawei is giving most of its attention to the Chinese market, the XDA community has started to find ways to get the update.

XDA Recognized Developer – OldDroid has gathered the appropriate files and instructions for the purpose. Note that these instructions are a little different and have more added steps than what we have discussed earlier for the Honor 8 Pro. The instructions here will update your Honor 9 firmware to B130, which is based on Android Oreo.

Prerequisites

Now, before you head over to install Android Oreo on Honor 9, make sure to fulfill all the stated requirements.

Downloads

Download all the required files before moving to the instructions: Link

Instructions to Install Android Oreo on Honor 9 (EMUI 8.0)

For your convenience, the instructions have been split into three parts. These will make sure that you’re easily able to install Android Oreo on Honor 9.

Part 1: Install B130 Firmware

  1. Download the L09-B321 firmware files and STF_Recovery_NoCheck.img from the link above.
  2. Connect your phone to the PC and transfer all the downloaded files to the root (Outside all folders) of the SD card.
  3. Now, download the TWRP recovery image for Nougat (twrp-3.1.1-nougat-stf.img).
  4. Copy this file to the C:\adb folder where all the ADB and Fastboot files are present.
  5. Press and hold the SHIFT key and right-click inside this folder. Select ‘Open command window here’ or ‘Open PowerShell window here’ from the menu.
  6. Connect your phone to the PC again and enter the following command to reboot it into bootloader: 
    adb reboot bootloader
  7. Once your device is in bootloader mode, flash the TWRP recovery using: 
    fastboot flash recovery twrp-3.1.1-nougat-stf.img
  8. Once the recovery has been flashed, boot into it by holding the Volume Up + Power button altogether.
  9. In TWRP, go to ‘Advanced’ -> ‘Terminal’.
  10. Enter the following commands in the Terminal: 
    dd if=/external_sd/STF_RECOVERY_NoCheck.img of=/dev/block/bootdevice/by-name/recovery_a

dd if=/external_sd/STF_RECOVERY_NoCheck.img of=/dev/block/bootdevice/by-name/recovery2_a

echo --update_package=/sdcard/update.zip > /cache/recovery/command 

echo --update_package=/sdcard/update_data_full_public.zip >> /cache/recovery/command 

echo --update_package=/sdcard/update_full_STF-L09_hw_normal.zip >> /cache/recovery/command
  11. Finally, enter the following command reboot recovery mode and install Android Oreo on Honor 9: 
    reboot recovery
  12. Your device will boot back into recovery and the installation will begin. Once completed, the phone will reboot.

Wait, it is not done yet. You will notice that the boot animation, theme store, and ringtones are missing. So in order to fully install Android Oreo on Honor 9, we will further root it and make the essential edits in the system.

Part 2: Rooting and Essential System Edits

  1. Download the following files from the link above.
    • twrp-3.1.1-oreo-stf.img
    • SR5-2.82-supersu_ramdisk.zip
  2. Copy these files to the C:\adb folder.
  3. Reboot your Honor 9 into bootloader mode and connect it to the PC.
  4. Flash the TWRP recovery for Oreo using: 
    fastboot flash recovery_ramdisk twrp-3.1.1-oreo-stf.img
  5. Once flashed, boot into TWRP recovery by holding the Volume Up + Power button altogether.
  6. In TWRP, go to ‘Advanced’ -> ‘ADB Sideload’ and swipe the button.
  7. Now use the following command to install SuperSU zip: 
    adb sideload SR5-2.82-supersu_ramdisk.zip
  8. Once the file is flashed, boot into the OS.
  9. Download Solid Explorer from the Play Store and run it.
  10. Now, in order to fully install Android Oreo on Honor 9, rename the ‘normal’ folders in the following locations to ‘eu’. 
    /cust/hw

/version/special_cust/STF-L09/hw
  11. Once renamed, reboot your Honor 9.

Part 3: Restore Stock Ramdisk and Unroot

Now comes the final step to install Android Oreo on Honor 9. This step will make sure that your device has the stock Ramdisk and recovery installed to prevent any problems.

  1. Download the following files and place them inside the C:\adb folder.
    • RAMDISK.img
    • RECOVERY_RAMDISK.img
  2. Boot your device into bootloader mode and connect it to the PC.
  3. Flash the ramdisk image using the following command: 
    fastboot flash ramdisk RAMDISK.img
  4. And flash the stock recovery using: 
    fastboot flash recovery_ramdisk RECOVERY_RAMDISK.img
  5. Once the files have been flashed, boot into the stock recovery by pressing the Volume Up + Power button.
  6. In stock recovery, select ‘Wipe data/factory reset’ -> ‘Yes’.
  7. Finally, select ‘Reboot system now’.

There you go, you have just installed Android Oreo on Honor 9 (STF-L09) successfully. Go ahead and enjoy all the new features of Oreo. If you have any problems while installing this firmware, leave a comment below.

Source: XDA-Developers

Comments

    1. The AL10 is the Chinese model. I would NOT recommend you to update using this method.

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