[guide] Smiui Install Guide For Mi3/mi4

[Kyruf]

I personally tested this guide and it's working, but if you have a better way to, feel free to correct me
I do not take responsibilities, every damage you do to your phone is by your choice!
Read full guide before installing!

What you need:

• Download CWM r11 Furniel (Discussion)
  • Download from miui.com
  • Download from mega.co.nz

• Flashify

• Download sMiUI rom latest!
  • Mi3 discussion: Link
  • Mi4 discussion: Link

• Battery at least 50%

• Some patience and some brain

0 - Prepare: (optional)
First of all, I suggest you to do a backup of your apps because you are going to wipe data (NOT SDCARD, so your img, music, downloads and some data are safe). You can use Titanium Backup (or the pro version, it's faster) for easy backups.
1 - Install CWM: (required)
What is it? It's a custom recovery wich gives you more than the stock: you can backup/restore, flash custom and official rom, updates, apps, themes, tweaks, wipe/mount/unmount diffent partitions, fixes and many other things..

1. Unzip the CWM zip file downloaded before
2. Open Flashify app (grant SU permission)
3. Select "Recovery image"
4. "Choose a file"
5. Select "recovery.img" located in the unzipped folder
6. "Yup!" and "Reboot now"

Now it will reboot and you will have a custom recovery installed! You can enter in CWM by turning off the device and pressing together VOL UP+VOL DOWN+POWER BUTTON.
You can navigate in the menu by using VOL UP/DOWN to scroll and by pressing power button to confirm (back button to go back). You can also use the touch screen.

2- Activate TrueDualBoot (optional)
What's that for? The difference between CWM TDB and stock TDB it's that you can have 2 different rom, instead of the stock where you can only install the official miui (ex. sMiUI and MIUI).

1. Turn off the device and enter in the CWM.
2. Go to "Advanced"
3. "ENABLE TrueDualBoot"
4. "Move data"
5. "Yes - ENABLE TrueDualBoot"
6. "/Data1"

Now you have a TDB installed When you wipe/flash it will automatically ask you wich system you want to. Switch between system by:

1. "Advanced" (In the main menu)
2. "Active system: 1/2"
3. And select wich one you want to reboot

Note that if you flash a rom to system 1 or 2, you will have to reboot to that system! If not, it will bootloop!

3 - ROM Install:
Before flashing a different rom on the same system, YOU HAVE to wipe data.

1. In the main CWM menu, "wipe data/factory reset"
2. "System 1" or 2
3. "Yes - Wipe all used data"

Now that you've correctly wiped the /system (NOT SDCARD!!)

1. "install zip"
2. "choose zip from sdcard"
3. Navigate where you have downloaded your sMiUI zip file, for me "Download/"
4. select your latest sMIUI, for me "sMiUI_v6_5.2.6_cancro"
5. Select the system you want to flash to
6. "Yes - Install *sMIUI zip file*"
7. "Yes - Install untrusted zip".

4 - AROMA setup: (semi-optional)
sMiUI uses AROMA for full personalization, but if you don't know what are we talking about in the following, just tap "Default".
Aroma uses touch screen, so just tap on options.

1. "Custom"
2. Then choose your CPU clock speed (i use 960mhz for max battery saving)
3. I suggest you to install CWM again the first time, so select it
4. Select your GPS optimization based on where you live
5. "Next"
6. And choose what apps/mods you like, every option it's safe to be removed/keeped, the choice is yours. Be careful on the last setting, that's the GPU limiter!
7. "Install Now", this will take about 30 secs
8. "Finish"

Go back by pressing the back button and reboot system now.
NOTE: If you choosed to install sMiUI to system2 then you are going to go in "advanced">"active system: *1/2*">And select the system you have installed the rom to.

It will reboot, and you will see the sMiUI animation.
The first reboot takes a little bit more than the normal, so please be patient and wait for at least 5 minutes.

5 - The End.. Maybe
And there you have it! If you changed idea about aroma setup, just enter in the CWM and install sMiUI again.
IMPORTANT: For updates, you don't need to wipe data every time, just flash over! If you find bugs try to wipe data and flash again before posting

Special thanks to sebsch1991, who taught me all this.
Special thanks again to sebsch1991 for sMiUI

 

[kamelot]

Open Flashify app (grant SU permission)

1. Select "Zip file"
2. "Choose a file"
3. Select "CWM_recovery_r11_cancro.zip"
4. "Yup!" and "Reboot now"

I tried twice this point. What happens is Flashify "flashes"the recovery and when I Reboot, the phone goes to a bootloop. The screen just flashes for a fraction of a second and I can see it shows "MiRecovery 2.0.1", but this is all that happens.
It just reboots and the same happens.

I had to flash through Fastboot to recover the device.

 

[Pertti Kosunen]

Is CWM-recovery.zip signed with valid key? I believe you can not install unsigned recovery with Flashify in zip mode (with original Mi Recovery installed)?

If you extract recovery.img from zip, Flashify might be able to install it directly.

 

[kamelot]

Is CWM-recovery.zip signed with valid key? I believe you can not install unsigned recovery with Flashify in zip mode (with original Mi Recovery installed)?

If you extract recovery.img from zip, Flashify might be able to install it directly.

I downloaded it from the given link. I'm not sure if it's signed.

 

[Kyruf]

I tried twice this point. What happes is Flashify "flashes"the recovery and when I Reboot, the phone goes to a bootloop. The screen just flashes for a fraction of a second and I can see it shows "MiRecovery 2.0.1", but this is all that happens.
It just reboots and the same happens.

I had to flash through Fastboot to recover the device.

It worked for me, but try also with this:

1. Download CWM r8 (or directly try with r11 from the link below)
2. Unzip it
3. Open Flashify
4. "Recovery image"
5. "Choose a file"
6. Then navigate to the folder where you unzipped CWM before
7. "recovery.img"
8. "Yup!" and "Reboot now"

Thanks for reporting and please let me know if does this works. I case, i'll change the guide.

 

[Kyruf]

Is CWM-recovery.zip signed with valid key? I believe you can not install unsigned recovery with Flashify in zip mode (with original Mi Recovery installed)?

If you extract recovery.img from zip, Flashify might be able to install it directly.

Thanks! I honestly don't think it is signed, maybe that's why?

 

[geko95gek]

Thanks for the guide!

Sent from my MI 4W

 

[Kyruf]

Thanks for the guide!

Sent from my MI 4W

Please report if t worked thanks!