Custom ROM installation Problems on P20 Lite - Huawei P20 Lite Questions & Answers

Hello developers,
I bought a Huawei P20 lite a few days ago after verifing, that lineage is possible to install on those phones.
Now, after struggling for 3 days to install lineage, I decided to post here.
First some information about my phone:
Device: Huawei P20 lite dual SIM, 4GB RAM, 64GB internal (ANE-L21, i guess?)
Fastboot Info (I ran those commands when creating this post):
fastboot oem get-build-number: ANE-LX1 9.1.0.257(C432E6R1P7) (from what I understood, ANE-LX1 and ANE-L21 Firmwares are the same?)
fastboot oem get-product-model : ANE-LX1
fastboot getvar version: FALED, Command not allowed
fastboot getvar vendorcountry: HW/EU
When I got the phone, I got my bootloader unlock code first.
I then successfully updated the phone to the newest version (the official Huawei approach, using HiSuite).
After that, I unlocked the bootloader with no problems and flashed TWRP.
I needed to try a few versions to find one that's working as the official ones for that phone kept freezing, I finally found one by Pretorian08 that's working).
Then I formatted to get rid of encryption, did the wipe procedure, cleared the cache, data and system partition and installed the newest lineage build and GAPPS.
After rebooting, the Phone showed me the usual "your device has been unlocked and can't be trusted"- dialog, and tried to boot then.
From here on, nothing happened.
I tried every build I could find, including the most actual one from tonight (lineage-16.0-20201214-nightly-anne-signed.zip).
Some builds would reboot after some time and show the shortened warning message, then boot directly into Recovery.
I totally bricked my phone somewhere on the way (multiple times I think), but could unbrick it by flashing rescue_recovery_kernel, rescue_recovery_ramdisk and rescue_recovery_vendor with appropriate img files extracted from a "Anne-L01 Anne-L21 9.1.0.132(C432E5R1P7T8)" - Firmware and then going back to zero by installing a stockrom via dload and unlocking the bootloader again.
I then tried several other custom Roms, but the outcome is always the same: The phone just freezes with the warning message still visible while trying to boot up, or it boots into TWRP.
ROMs I've tried (I'll write the filenames to provide more info):
- Havoc OS-v3.2-20200215-ARM64AB-GSI.img
- Resurrection Remix ARM64_AB_20191205.img (this is the only custom ROM that will do ANYTHING at all: It will show the Red RessurectionMix Bootlogo, but sadly it won't boot past that point)
- Treble AOSP losq-v224-201017-arm64-bvN.img
With the above 3, installing GAPPS is not possible because "not enough free space in system partition"
- Every possible lineage build for that phone
As stated before, I'm struggling with the phone for 3 days now, so I followed a whole bunch of threads and advices, flashed multiple firmware files using different methods and tried like 7 different TWRP versions. With other words: I did a lot of things, which yould possibly mess up the phone and maybe I did something wrong at some point.
Maybe, I flashed a wrong Firmware while trying to unbrick or something like that. Can you guys help me understand what I'm doing wrong?

---

I don't like it if people post questions in a forum and then don't share what they figured out, so I'll post 's a little update after 6 days:
Here's a serious advice, if you're considering to buy this phone because there are lineage builds available: forget it.
I mean in most cases it seems to work somehow (from what I read), but from my experience I can say now, that there are phones where it apparently just doesn't work.
I've wasted over one week of my holiday working nonstop on that phone, I've downloaded about 50GB of different firmware files, recoveries, patches and custom Roms and flashed my firmware like 40 times. Best thing I could archieve is an indefinitely looping bootlogo in AOSP, lineage won't even get to that point.
I've tried every lineage build available, i've tried EMUI versions from 9.1.0.0X up to 9.1.0.200 (it is stated multiple times that the .200 will definitely work), no chance. I even tried a rollback to EMUI 8 via Hisuite and using old lineag builds in the end.
The fact that I didn't get any advice in this forum leads me to the conclusion, that no one has an Idea on what the problem is here either.
As I don't feel good with using a phone that still has original google stuff and huawei spy/bloatware installed, the only option that is left to me is just throwing it away and using some old phone. That's sad and a real waste of material and time, as the phone is brand new, but using the stockrom is no option to me. I really don't know what went wrong, I've already successully installed lineage (and cyanogenmod before) on more than 8 other devices, always without any problems.
So even if you (think you) know what you're doing, I can't recommend buying this device with the intention of using lineage.

---

user_name_duplicate said:
So even if you (think you) know what you're doing, I can't recommend buying this device with the intention of using lineage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
P20 lite is not so bad, maybe you are doing something wrong...
I've installed without problems Havoc, LOS 16.0, LOS 17.1unofficial, AOSP 10, losq-v224-201017 etc. etc...
P.S.: If you "hate" Google and Google's bloatware (like me ) only, you can simply rebrand your phone to chinese Nova 3e.
Or, choose Custom ROM based on Stock with KangVip settings , stable enough to be used as your daily driver." ( e.g. https://forum.xda-developers.com/hu...m-emui-8-0-kangvip-p20-lite-catuva21-t3813564
https://forum.xda-developers.com/hu...-emui-8-0-0-huawei-p20-lite-dual-sim-t3813604) . Using KangVip settings you can disable completely GAPPs .
(My primary phone is at the moment Mate 10 lite rebranded to chinese Maimang 6 (to get away from GAPPS ) . Among other things, better battery life, lower data consumption (using FUT) etc.)

---

Hi -Alf-, thank you for replying.
-Alf- said:
P20 lite is not so bad, maybe you are doing something wrong...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're right, it's not the phone, it's me. I guess I am doing something wrong, but I don't have the slightest clue what that is.
Any suggestions?
I've already invested a lot of time and have more or less resignated, but thanks to covid lockdown I'm basically trapped inside the house and might aswell give it another try.
Rebranding is an option, you're right. I already have downloaded a nova 3e Firmware, if nothing else works, I might try that.
Also, I'll have a look at the KangVip Roms, haven't heard of them before.
But to be honest, I think I wouldn't be satisfied with those options, at least not for a long time.
Getting lineage running on that phone is a task, the problem solver inside me is really commited to accomplish, because that was the intention I bought the phone with. Also, not being able to accomplish something that hundreds of other people already have done and that is proven to work is driving me nuts. I wouldn't have bothered trying to get it working for 10 days otherwise.

---

Unfortunately, availability of custom ROMs for Kirin devices is scarce.
Try Havoc 2.9 (requires EMUI 8)
Havoc 2.9

---

Hi -Alf-,
-Alf- said:
Try Havoc 2.9 (requires EMUI 8)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tried that now, after downgrading to EMUI 8 via HiSuite, I did exactly what you wrote in that thread. The outcome is the same as with every other ROM I've tried: I see the "your device has been unlocked and can't be trusted" screen, then after a while it tells me that "my device is booting now" and just does nothing except rebooting every 10 or so minutes.
Luckily those devices seem to be fairly indestructible, as long as the Bootloader is open and FRP is disabled, so I'll give it some more tries.
-Alf- said:
Unfortunately, availability of custom ROMs for Kirin devices is scarce.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I bought the phone because I thought it was officially supported:
LineageOS Downloads
download.lineageos.org
Was that assumption wrong, is there some hint or exception, that I'm not seeing?
The phone was delivered some weeks late because the seller was out of stock. I guess it came directly from china. Is it possible, that I got a new hardware revision, which is not yet supported?

---

user_name_duplicate said:
I guess it came directly from china. Is it possible, that I got a new hardware revision, which is not yet supported?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It may be a fake, try to verify the authenticity on linked website
imei24
user_name_duplicate said:
I guess it came directly from china
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly, I saw for example Huawei P20 Pro with MediaTek proc.
Btw., I have installed this Havoc 2.9 three times without problem, so it's really very strange...
In fastboot mode run commands :
fastboot oem oeminforead-CUSTOM_VERSION
fastboot oem oeminforead-SYSTEM_VERSION
fastboot oem get-build-number
fastboot getvar vendorcountry
fastboot oem get-product-model
fastboot getvar rescue_version
and post the results please.
Some might fail, so don't worry about it.
You can also download "Device Info HW" apk and check your SoC (Kirin 659) Vendor (HiSilicon), ABI (arm64-v8a) etc.

---

On imei24, the device is listed as "Huawei P20 Lite" for both imeis, blacklist status is "clean". Recognized Serial is the same for both Imei numbers.
Only thing that's not clear to me is the warranty status:
Warranty start: 2018/7/23
Warranty end: 2018/8/6
So it can't be that new, at least not factory new, right?
I bought it on real.de, so I have no further information where it comes from. China was just my assumption because they where out of stock and delivered 2 or 3 weeks late. I can't really imagine that real is selling fake phones (on purpose). That really wouldn't help their image if people found out.
I ran the commands you provided:
fastboot oem oeminforead-CUSTOM_VERSION: FAILED
fastboot oem oeminforead-SYSTEM_VERSION : ANE-LX1 8.0.0.180(C432)
fastboot oem get-build-number : ANE-LX1 8.0.0.180(C432)
fastboot getvar vendorcountry: hw/eu
fastboot oem get-product-model: ANE-LX1
fastboot getvar rescue_version: rescue0.6
I will download the Device Info apk as soon as my device boots again (I will reflash the stock image once again).
Edit: Device Info HW is telling me I'm using a Kirin 659 SOC.

---

Okay, most of custom ROMs require lower build number, that's why I wrote that I tested Havoc 2.9 on .126. If you are running latest build number, it may cause your problems.
IMO it is time to clean your phone, extract from Oreo firmware (it doesn't matter which build number) ramdisk.img , kernel.img, recovery_ramdisk.img and erecovery_ramdisk.img and transfer to the SD card.
Download .126 Service ROM
8.0.126
unpack it and transfer dload file to the SD Card (without unpacking it)
Install
TWRP
over eRecovery, boot into TWRP, select Flash image and flash 4 files. Go back to main TWRP's panel > Reboot > Power Off.
Use three button combo to flash the ROM. This process will erase all your data and lock the bootloader again!!!
Unlock BL and try Havoc 2.9 . It must work!
Good luck.
Edit: I found on my MEGA :
https://mega.nz/#!o8FUVR6T!-1fl6TviRtgGbssuG9LgyssCJg4dwxa84luJmrnvSCg
https://mega.nz/#!gkdgnLBa!O8LVZF4J0NiEB78c9z4_FxASN0vWx3rOAIQdmhApAOQ
https://mega.nz/#!xpViTTSC!Q_5ieeEL0gpKROj35cvjc_TRddmkFTMsIxvOT6lS23Y
https://mega.nz/#!EhM2lZqK!yphxvKNUQueIryop44DmPflp7Iwi9c8ExeaCRqA-iY4

---

Hello Alf, thanks for your last reply!
Downgrading worked, that was the last thing I've tried before christmas.
I wanted to continue today, but found this thread you've posted in.
I thought I'd give it a try and now I'm running on lineage (which is what I initially wanted), sadly only the 15.1 version, but I don't need the newest version.
WiFi is working and, until now, it's running stable. I've installed 8.1. nano gapps (might try pico in the future) and magisk v21.
Maybe I'm lucky and in the next few weeks or months I'll find a working build of an android pie lineage.
I think with installed TWRP it should now be possible, to do a complete backup, mess around with the system (i.e. upgrade Android/Flash ROMs) and then restore it to my now working state, is that correct?
If that's the case, I'll try some other ROMs, including the havok ROM I've already downloaded.
Which partitions must be included in my backup to perform such operations?
For anyone else encountering my problem, here is what finally did the trick:
Code:
- downgrade to .126, following alfs procedure
- Flash TWRP by pretoriano80 (on recovery_ramdisk partition)
- do a wipe (format data to get rid of encryption, then via advanced wipe format cache partitions and system)
- install lineage 15 (link), last build is from 2020-10-27, so it's not an abandoned build
- install GAPPS 8.1
- install magisk v21
- wipe cache/Dalvik
- boot to system
Booting for the first time took a few minutes, but since then, it's running smooth and without any problems.
The only thing that's still an enigma to me is, why the LOS builds I initially tried (with EMUI 9.0.0.200) didn't work, even though other people don't seem to have a problem with ANE-LX1 and LOS16. If anyone is reading this and has an answer to that question, please post!
For now, I'm happy with LOS 15. Thank you many many times, Alf! Greetings to Melmac!

---

user_name_duplicate said:
Thank you many many times, Alf!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No problem...
user_name_duplicate said:
Greetings to Melmac!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

---

I'm currently struggling with the same issue. Tried every combination of TWRP with lineage 16 and gapps. Some roms I can get to boot but then not enough space for h gapps. I have tried to wipe system, data and cache to resize system partition which ends up in phone booting directly to TWRP. Other times I get to warning screen and end up with boot - loop. So I'm well a are off your frustration. However I have decided that I'm not gonna settle for version 15. I'm trying for 17 but much have to settle with lineage is 16..