Update meizu m2 mini by air. How to flash Meizu, installing the official OS version. Using a computer

18.05.2020

Meizu's smartphones are increasingly gaining popularity in the global market. Their devices are in incredible demand. In Android smartphones, you often have to change the firmware. This is explained by the fact that the Android operating system does not prohibit the user from performing various manipulations with the software shell, so inexperienced users can harm their device. Therefore, knowledge of how to reflash Meizu smartphones will be useful to many. From the very beginning, I would like to say that the Meizu M2 Note's firmware can be changed very easily compared to other Android smartphones. You will receive instructions on how to do this below.

I would like to say right away that the firmware on the Meiza M2 changes quite quickly. This may be due to the fact that the devices of the Chinese company have the Flyme shell on board.

You can reflash smartphones in a couple of ways: with or without a computer. The steps for these two methods will be very similar, so it will be equally easy both when flashing through the device itself and when using a PC.

Download the firmware from the official website

The most secure system firmware is available on the manufacturer's website. To download the firmware file, simply go to the official Meizu website and find the latest firmware version for your phone model. After downloading the file, you need to upload it to the root folder of your smartphone.

There is no guarantee that you will be able to install everything and that the firmware will work properly. But as practice shows, even those who have never done this can reflash devices from Meizu.

When you find and download the official firmware version to your smartphone, you will download a file named “Update.zip”; as the name suggests, the file is in zip format. It cannot be opened, much less modified in any way. You don’t need to do anything with it, it will install the firmware for you, the main thing is not to interfere with it.

We start the smartphone in Recovery mode

The next thing we need to do is launch Recovery Mode on the phone. To launch this mode on Meizu smartphones, you need to turn off the device and press the volume up button and the power button on the smartphone.

To control and navigate through the Recovery Mod menu, use the volume rocker; to select the desired section, press the power button as if it were “ Enter".

"System upgrade", then select “ "Clear data".

Note: During flashing, all data from the smartphone’s memory will be deleted, so you should worry about the safety of information important to you in advance. The best way prevent data loss - implement backup.

After manipulations in recovery, the smartphone will install the firmware itself and automatically reboot. There are rare cases of failures, but this can happen if the file was downloaded damaged, or you somehow changed it. In this case, you need to download the file again and repeat all the steps.

Using a computer

With installation new version The computer can help you with the firmware. The steps will be similar to the previous instructions. Please note that you will not throw the file into the root folder of your smartphone, but first to your computer, and then to your phone.

Download firmware

As in the first method, you should download the firmware file from the manufacturer’s official website. For some reason, the vast majority of users take software from pirated sites, and then end up with “bricks”, or at least lost time and nerves.

When choosing software, you should pay attention to the type of firmware, because there are 5 types. There are only three available for Meizu: a Chinese version, one universal version and an international version. You need the international version, as it has Russian and Ukrainian languages immediately available and is immediately available Google services. Do not mix up the files; if you install the Chinese version, it will be extremely difficult to understand it.

Checking the file name and extension

Before transferring the desired file to your smartphone, be sure to make sure that the file name is “Update.zip” and that the file is in zip format. If you transfer a file to the device that does not meet these criteria, it may result in an error. The firmware may not be installed correctly or may not be found at all. After which the smartphone may be inoperable forever.

Connecting your phone in Recovery mode

As always, you will need to enable Recovery Mod. Only unlike the first method, after launch engineering menu need to connect mobile device to a computer via a USB cable. The computer will recognize your device and show you the folder " Recovery" in "My Computer", you need to transfer the firmware file into it.

Before flashing Meiza M2 Note, be sure to back up your files and settings. Often, when flashing, people forget about this, and after it, the lost data cannot be restored.

Firmware

After you have entered recovery, you need to click on “ "System upgrade", then select “ Clear data" and the "OK" button.If you did everything correctly, then your smartphone should receive an updated software version. Reflashing has a positive effect on the operation of the phone, because as you use it, you download many applications to the device that affect the system in one way or another. Some files can have a negative impact on the system, and even after deleting them, the device will slow down a little.

After you flash your Meiza M2 Note, don’t rush to install hundreds of applications on it. If you do this, you will bring the new firmware to the same state as it was on yours old version. Use your smartphone wisely and don't demand more from it than it can handle.

The rapid spread of smartphones from the already famous MEIZU company continues today. But even the models of previous years do not lose their attractiveness, which is facilitated by maintaining the relevance of the software part of the manufacturer’s devices by releasing regular updates of the Flyme proprietary Android shell. And the developers of custom OS options are not sitting idle. Let's consider the possibilities for interacting with the system software of the balanced and very popular Meizu M2 Mini model - the firmware of the device.

By keeping the Flyme operating system of the phone in question up to date, you don’t have to worry about the functionality of all modern Android applications - MEIZU’s proprietary shell demonstrates stability and broad functionality, and also has a number of advantages over other solutions. Moreover, the M2 Mini smartphone is one of the latest variants released by Meizu, which can have an unlocked bootloader, making installation feasible custom firmware.

Whatever result, that is, the version of Android installed on the device after carrying out the manipulations described below, is the goal, you should take into account:

All operations described in this material are performed by the user at his own risk. The author of the article and the administration of the site resource are not responsible for possible negative consequences of following the instructions and the lack of the desired result!

Before flashing any Android device, you should spend some time preparing for the operation - install the necessary components and applications on your PC, and also get all necessary files. A correctly carried out preparatory stage determines the success of the procedure, and also ensures the smooth running of all processes and their effectiveness.

Drivers and operating modes

Even if the Mini is not used to manipulate Meizu M2 Personal Computer(the methodology of individual methods of reinstalling Android allows this), before interfering with software part smartphone, you should check that the drivers for the device are installed on your existing PC. In case of unforeseen situations during operations or subsequently, this will allow you to quickly correct errors and restore the functionality of the model.

There are usually no problems installing components for pairing the Meizu M2 Mini and a PC - a set of drivers is integrated into any official smartphone firmware, but just in case, a package with the necessary files is available for download at the link:

To install all necessary components the most correct way would be the following:

To avoid problems when installing components for pairing the PC and the device in question, before further manipulations it is necessary to deactivate the check in Windows digital signature drivers. To this end, follow one of the instructions offered in the article at the following link:
Turn on the mode on your device "USB Debugging". Its activation may be required, for example, when obtaining root rights.

Connect your smartphone to your PC and open "Device Manager".

Install if there is no driver for the device "Android Composite ADB Interface" manually from the catalog obtained from the link above, or from the CD built into the device.

To activate the virtual CD, slide the notification shade down on your phone screen and select “Connected like...” and then check the option "Built-in CD-ROM",

which will ultimately open access to everyone the necessary files from PC.

After completing the above, turn off your device and start it in recovery mode. To do this, you need to hold down the keys simultaneously "Volume+" And "Nutrition" until the logo appears on the screen "MEIZU", then the button "Inclusion" should be released.

After loading the recovery environment, the device screen will look like in the photo above (2). Connect M2 Mini to PC. As a result of the correct detection of the device in recovery mode by the computer, "Explorer" Windows drive should appear "Recovery".

Exiting recovery and starting the device in normal mode is done by tapping the button "Restart".

Meizu M2 Mini versions, firmware downloads

MEIZU usually shares own devices into several versions depending on which market - Chinese or international - they are intended for, there is also a gradation by Chinese telecom operators. As for the M2 Mini model, there are as many as seven (!) possible options– devices are characterized by different hardware identifiers and are accordingly equipped with different firmware with indexes I/G, A, U, C, Q, M, ABOUT.

Without delving into the differences between the system software for the M2 Mini, we note that for use by Russian-speaking users, shells with the index are most preferable "G" and it is the installation of such firmware that in most cases is the purpose of manipulating the device.

Let’s conditionally divide all M2 Minis into “Chinese” and “international”. Most simple method To find out which version has fallen into the user's hands is to launch the smartphone in recovery mode. If the recovery environment items are written in English (1) - the device is “international”, if hieroglyphs are observed (2) - “Chinese”.

In the first case, there should be no problems with installing G-versions of the OS into the device, but if you have a “Chinese” M2 Mini, before installing a system with Russian language and other advantages, you may need to change the device identifier. Firmware for a smartphone with any index to the “international” version of the system is described in "Method 2" below in the article.

Loading software For the device in question, it is best to do so from the official website. Links to pages containing software packages:

All files used in the process of carrying out the procedures from the examples below in the article can be downloaded from the links located in the description of the manipulation methods.

Superuser Privileges

In general, root rights are not required for flashing firmware and further trouble-free operation of the Meizu M2 Mini. But when changing an identifier, creating a full backup and other manipulations, you cannot do without special privileges. Obtaining Superuser rights on the device in question does not cause any difficulties and can be done using two methods.

Official method of obtaining root rights

Meizu provides users of its smartphones with the opportunity to obtain root rights without resorting to using third-party tools, i.e. officially. The only thing you need to do first is register a Flyme account and log in to your account from your phone.

The method only works on Flyme 4 and Flyme 6; for the 5th version of the proprietary MEIZU OS, the following is not applicable!

Obtaining root rights through KingRoot

The second effective way to equip Meizu M2 Mini with root rights is to use the KingRoot tool. The tool successfully allows you to root the model on any firmware and does not require a Meizu account.

The algorithm of actions is as follows:

Backing up information

Since deleting all data from the phone’s memory during the firmware process is almost a prerequisite for the successful functioning of the system in the future, before intervening in the software part, it is necessary to save all information that may be needed later in backup copy. Creating a backup can be done using one of several methods.

It should be noted that the developers of the proprietary Flyme Android shell, under which all Meizu devices operate, have provided ample opportunities in their system for creating full-fledged backup copies of user information. The product is available to all M2 Mini owners and works quite effectively, so its use can be recommended first.

Ideally, you should use a microSD card installed in your smartphone to save the backup.

Subsequently, it is easy to restore everything deleted, acting in the same way as creating a backup, but selecting the backup copy after launching the tool and clicking "Restore".

Firmware

After preparation, you can proceed to flashing the device’s firmware. Like almost any Android device, the Meizu M2 Mini system software can be reinstalled using several methods. The first method of manipulation presented below will suit almost all users of the device, the second will be useful to owners of copies intended for sale in China, and the third should be used if you want to change the official Flyme OS to a custom solution from third-party developers.

Method 1: Factory Recovery Environment

The simplest and most acceptable way to reinstall, update and roll back the FlymeOS version for owners of the “international” Meizu M2 Mini is to use the “native” recovery pre-installed by the manufacturer in each device. In the example below, the official Android shell of Flyme OS version is installed 6.2.0.0G, - the latest at the time of creation of the material.

Be sure to charge the M2 Mini's battery to at least 80%. Upload file "update.zip", containing system software for installation and, WITHOUT RENAME it, place the package in the root of the internal storage. If the device does not boot into Android, proceed to the next step without copying the package.

Launch Meiza M2 Mini in recovery environment mode. How to get into recovery is described above in the article. If the firmware file was not copied to the phone memory earlier, connect the device to the USB port of the PC and transfer "update.zip" on removable drive "Recovery", determined in "Explorer".
As you can see, on the Meizu factory recovery screen there are only two options - check the checkbox next to "System upgrade". Concerning "Clear Data"- functions to clear memory of all data before installing the system, it is also recommended to check the box here.

When you roll back a version of Flyme to an earlier version than the one installed on your smartphone, cleaning the partitions is mandatory! When updating, this is done at the request of the user, but, we repeat, it is recommended!
Click the button "Start", which will cause the procedure to first check the file with the software, and then install it. Processes are accompanied by filling progress bars and do not require user intervention.

Once the files are transferred to the required partitions, the phone will reboot into the recovery environment. Click the button "Restart".

The first system startup after installing the system software takes longer than usual. The initialization procedure is characterized by the longest duration, accompanied by an inscription on the screen with a percentage counter - "Application Optimization".

The completion of the Flyme installation process can be considered the appearance of the shell screen with the choice of interface language. Determine the main parameters of the system.

The reinstalled and/or updated system can be used!

Additionally. Google services in FlymeOS

The policy of the developers of the proprietary Android shell FlymeOS, which runs Meizu smartphones, does not involve the initial integration of Google services and applications into the firmware. In other words, by completely reinstalling the official Android on the Meizu M2 Mini, the user will find that the usual features are missing after starting the system. However, correcting the situation will not be difficult. Do the following:

Method 2: Installing G-firmware on "Chinese" devices

As mentioned above, the abundance of versions of the M2 Mini can serve as some obstacle in the process of installing international firmware containing the Russian language. If the need to reinstall the OS arose on a device with a pre-installed system characterized by an index different from "G", most likely, you will need to first change the hardware identifier.

This manipulation in the example below is performed on a device running firmware 4.5.4.2A; on other assemblies the functionality of the method is not guaranteed!

Install FlymeOS 4.5.4.2A, acting in accordance with the recommendations from "Method 1" above in the article. The fact that there are hieroglyphs in the description of the recovery options should not be confusing - the meaning of the actions performed as a result of calling the functions is the same as in the example above!

Download the archive containing everything you need to change the device ID - specialized script, Android applications Kinguser, BETA-SuperSU-v2.49, BusyBox And Terminal.
After receiving the package, unpack it and place the resulting directory in internal memory Meizu M2 Mini. File "chid.sh" copy to the root of the internal file storage.

Get root rights. You can do this using one of the methods described at the beginning of the article, but the easiest way is to go the following way:

Install the application BusyBox Installer and run it.

Grant Superuser privileges when prompted, wait for the component to finish loading "Smart Install", then click "Installation" and wait until the device is equipped with console utilities.

The last tool on the list that you will need to change the MEIZU M2 Mini ID is "Terminal Emulator". Run the file "Terminal_1.0.70.apk", wait until the installation of the tool is completed and run it.

Type the command su in the terminal and then press "Enter" on the virtual keyboard. Grant the program Superuser rights by clicking "Allow" in the request window that appears.

Run the command with the following syntax: sh /sdcard/chid.sh in the Terminal. You will get the result almost instantly - during the execution of the script commands, console responses confirming the success of the operation appear: “now you have intl phone id = 57851402”, “now you have intl model id = M81H”, “now you have intl id string = international_of”.

Restart your smartphone. This completes the change of hardware ID for Meizu M2 Mini.

After completing the above steps to change the ID, the Meizu M2 Mini “turns” into the international model M81H on which you can install firmware with indexes G And I any versions. OS installation is carried out by following the instructions "Method 1: Factory Recovery Environment" stated above in this material.

Method 3: Custom firmware

In the event that the proprietary Flyme shell does not satisfy the user according to any criteria, modified unofficial versions of the OS come to the rescue, of which quite a few have been released for the device in question. a large number of. These solutions completely transform the software appearance of the smartphone, and also allow you to get the 6th and 7th Android on the Meiza M2 Mini.

To install a custom, you will need to complete several steps and a fairly extensive set of tools. All manipulations according to the instructions below are performed on Meiza M2 Mini with FlymeOS installed 4.5.4.2A. Download the software of this version from the link available in the description "Method 2" and install "Method 1" of this material, and then proceed to carry out the following, having first studied the instructions from beginning to end and weighed your own strengths and capabilities, as well as fully understanding what you have to do!

All tools and files used in the example below are taken from the folder obtained by unzipping the package "UNLOCK_BOOT.rar", we will not return to this issue!

Step 1: Unlock Bootloader

Before it becomes possible to install a modified recovery, and then a firmware different from the official one, you need to unlock the bootloader of the device. To perform the procedure on Meizu M2 Mini, follow the following instructions step by step.

Attention! In the process of unlocking the bootloader, all data contained in the internal memory of the device will be destroyed! A preliminary backup is required!

Make sure you have ADB drivers on your system. For this:
Install Android app ADB Key by running the file "Adb+key.exe"

and following the installer's instructions.

Follow steps 2-5 instructions "Method 2: Installing G-firmware on "Chinese" devices" stated above in this material. That is, get root rights, install "SuperSU", BusyBox And "Terminal".

Place the file "unlock_bootloader.sh" to the root of the internal memory of MEIZU M2 Mini.

Launch on your smartphone "Terminal Emulator" and run the su command. Grant the tool root rights.

Enter the command sh /sdcard/unlock_bootloader.sh into the console and click "Enter" on the virtual keyboard. The result of executing the command should be a terminal response as in the screenshot below (2). If the picture matches, the operation is completed successfully.

Return to Windows and copy the directory "ADB_Fastboot" to the root of the disk "C:", then open the resulting folder.

While holding down the key "Shift" on the keyboard, right-click on a free area of the directory "ADB_Fastboot". In the appeared context menu select option "Open command window".

Completing the previous step will bring up the Windows console. Connect the M2 Mini to the USB port, if you disconnected it, and write the adb reboot bootloader command in the console. Confirm execution with the key "Enter" on keyboard.

The device will begin to reboot into mode "Fastboot", as a result of which the screen will turn black and a message will appear at the bottom in small font "FASTBOOT Mode...".

IMPORTANT! During this and subsequent unlocking steps, do not disconnect the phone from the PC and do not close the command line!
In the console, write the command fastboot oem unlock and click "Enter".

After executing the command, a warning about the risks of unlocking the bootloader will appear on the device screen. Confirmation of the intention to unlock the bootloader is the impact on the key "Volume+" smartphone. Refusal to perform manipulation - "Volume-".

Press the volume up button and wait 5-10 seconds until the mode selection menu appears on the screen. Despite the fact that the bootloader is already unlocked, at this step the smartphone stops responding to key presses. This is a standard situation, hold down the button "Nutrition" until the device turns off.

Call the factory recovery by holding down the keys at the same time "Volume+" And "Nutrition" on a device that reboots cyclically as a result of performing the above actions. In the recovery environment, without changing anything, click on the button "Start". The smartphone will display an error message about a missing system software package. Click "Restart".

Now Flyme will boot normally, but since a factory reset was performed during the unlocking process, you will have to initial setup shell again, and then re-enable the mode "USB Debugging" to complete the next step towards installing a custom OS in Meizu M2 Mini.

Step 2: Installing a modified recovery

Almost all custom Android shells are installed through a modified recovery. Nai the best solution for most devices today there is TeamWin Recovery (TWRP), and for the Meizu M2 Mini there is a perfectly functioning environment build, let’s install it.

After the first launch of the environment, for convenience, select the Russian-language interface, and then slide the switch "Allow changes" to modify the system partition to the right. Everything is ready for further work with TWRP and installing unofficial firmware.

Step 3: Installing a custom OS

Once the Meizu M2 Mini bootloader is unlocked and the device is equipped with a modified recovery environment, installing a custom OS and replacing one such solution with any other is a matter of a few minutes. The whole procedure is carried out as a whole standard method, which is described in detail in the following material.

As an example, below is demonstrated the installation of one of the most popular custom shells for the M2 Mini, developed by probably the main competitor of Meizu in the Android device market - by Xiaomi. The OS is called MIUI and is ported to the device in question by several development teams and individual enthusiast users. In general, almost all options function very well on the device.

Over the course of this year, I was very pleased with my phone, the only thing I wanted was a better camera (although it sometimes gave good results when using third-party software), otherwise it was an excellent and inexpensive device.

I was happy literally every day of using it - powerful battery, beautiful and bright screen, a lot of space for applications (the microSD card was gathering dust without use).

A year has passed and the time has come to give the child a better phone, so I decided to buy myself something newer, preferably inexpensive and good, and give Meizu.

I spent a long time choosing, oh.. I got distracted from our topic, in general, I bought myself a new one, and I decided to reflash the Meiza M2 Note to international firmware in order to get a Russian interface.

The re-flashing slowly took several days. And I decided to describe the pitfalls that I encountered when flashing, in order to save you time if questions suddenly arise.

1. Very important! Alarm, attention!
Save and write down your Flyme account password!
Without this password, you will not be able to root your phone quickly and easily.

A year ago, I wrote down my password and imagine my surprise when now I enter the password and it doesn’t work! I tried this way and that, it doesn’t work. I started to restore it, it didn’t work, I started reading manuals and forums.

For example, a man bought a phone, gave it to his daughter, and she clicked something and set a password to enter the phone. I forgot my password, I can’t unlock my phone! I need a fly password, but I don’t have one.

Another story, a man bought Meiza used, wanted to fix it, but without a password for his fly account, you can’t even do a hard reset! Some people sent photos of the phone, box, scans of receipts and store guarantees, and only after that, within two weeks, the Chinese sent a link to change the password.

I repeat, the password for the Flyme account is very important, save it and indicate a real, working email to be able to recover the password.

I was able to recover my password via email, not the first time and I had to tinker, but everything was fine, it worked.

2. I copied everything necessary information to the computer and did a hard reset of the phone.

3. International firmware is not installed on the Chinese version of the phone by default; in order to “deceive” the firmware, we need to change the identifier (ID) of our device.

- attention is important -
On the latest version of the Chinese firmware (at the time of the firmware it was 5.1.10.0a), I was unable to install the official international firmware Flyme 5.1.10.0G.

I even installed the newest test version of Flyme 5.6.10.18a, went through the steps of getting root, changing ID, updating to G. It didn’t work, I tried another version. But everything was useless; when updating to the international version, the Firmware corrupt error appeared.

How to defeat Firmware corrupt Meizu?

I came up with an idea, what if I don’t upgrade the version of the Chinese firmware, but downgrade it.

4. I installed Flyme version 5.1.4.0a, it installed without problems (with Meizu firmware).

In order to install the Meizu firmware, we either download the firmware to the root of the phone's disk or do it using the second method, I did it this way, it seemed easier to me.

5. Installation steps new firmware, or rather, you can use the old one, in general, how to install another version of Flyme (let's call this point 5 and make subparagraphs):

5.1. Turn off the phone.
5.2. Press and hold the volume up and power buttons until the phone starts, after which you can release the buttons.
5.3. We connect the phone to the computer via USB cable.
5.4. A new Recovery disk will appear on the computer, copy the archive file with the firmware update.zip directly into it
5.5. After the update.zip file is completely copied, check both boxes - System upgrade and Clear data and right button start of the process.
5.6. If the firmware verification process was successful, then the firmware begins and it lasts about 20 minutes.

After flashing, select English language, connect Wi-Fi, log into your Flyme account and continue the process of preparing to install the international version of Flyme.

6. We need to activate root rights on the phone, it’s a pity I didn’t save the screenshots step by step as I did, but there’s nothing complicated, turn on the checkbox in the settings and reboot.

7. Download files from the archive to the phone -

8. Install SuperSU (eu.chainfire.supersu.apk)

The system will warn you that the ability to install applications from unknown sources is blocked by default.

Just click on “Settings” and then Install.

9. Install Terminal Emulator for Android (jackpal.androidterm.apk)

These programs can be found in the market, but if you are too lazy to install and enter the market (after all, Chinese firmware it’s not there by default), you can simply install it from the apk.

10. Launch SuperSU, the program will ask several questions, answer CONTINUE to the first, NORMAL to the second, then Allow. SuperSu installs in about a minute.

At the end of the installation there should be a message OK and REBOOT, click OK, but if Installation failed, then try the installation again. I had this happen and it was installed successfully the second time.

11. Launch Terminal Emulator and write in the console

sh /sdcard/chid.sh

If there is an error and the file is not found, try the command

sh / storage / emulated / 0 / chid.sh

sh /storage/emulated/0/chid.sh

When the chid.sh script is executed, the lines will flash and the phone will reboot.

13. A file with the phone’s system information should appear in the root of the phone - proinfo.img, it is advisable to save it somewhere else, it may be needed sometime in the future.

14. If everything went well and the phone ID has changed, then we begin the firmware of the international version G, according to the instructions from point 5.

The official version of Flyme 5.1.10.0G, I downloaded from .

The international version G installed successfully and I enjoyed the updated Meizu M2 Note.

By the way, version 5.1.10.0G does not have Google services, but they are very easy to install there, I think you’ll figure it out after this flashing process, it will be easy

Added: 04/29/2017
If for some reason you cannot log into your Flyme account, then you need to recover your password if you have access to your email or unlink your account from your phone.

The rapid spread and growing popularity of smartphones from the Chinese brand Meizu are associated not only with the excellent price/performance ratio, but also with the presence in the devices of the proprietary FlymeOS operating system based on Android, under which all the manufacturer’s devices operate. Let's look at how this OS is updated, reinstalled and replaced with custom firmware on one of the most popular models from Meizu - the M2 Note smartphone.

Before moving on to the procedure for reinstalling the system software, it should be noted that the process of updating and reinstalling the firmware on Meizu devices is one of the safest and easiest compared to Android devices from other brands.

There is some risk of damage to the software only when installing modified solutions from third-party developers. However, we should not forget the following.

The owner of the smartphone independently decides to carry out certain procedures with the device and is also independently responsible for the results and consequences! The site administration and the author of the article are not responsible for possible negative consequences of user actions!

Before the procedure for installing the system software in Meizu M2 Note begins, you should find out what firmware is installed in the device and determine the ultimate goal of manipulating the device, that is, the version of the system that will be installed.

On currently For Meizu M2 Note there are the following firmware:

G(Global) – software installed by the manufacturer in smartphones intended for sale on the international market. Software with index G is the best solution for users of the Russian-speaking region, since in addition to appropriate localization, the firmware is not replete with Chinese applications and services that are unnecessary in most cases, and can also be equipped with Google programs.
I(International) is an old designation for the Global firmware, used to classify software based on the outdated and practically unused Flyme OS 4 today.
A(Universal) is a universal type of system software that can be found in M2 Note devices intended for both the international and Chinese markets. Depending on the version, it may not be characterized by the presence of Russian localization; Chinese services and applications are present.
U(Unicom) C(China Mobile) - system types for users living and using Meizu smartphones on the island part of China (U) and inside the rest of the PRC (C). There is no Russian language, as are Google services/applications; the system is replete with Chinese services and applications.

To determine the type and version of the operating system installed on the device, you must do the following.

Where to get firmware

The manufacturer Meizu provides the ability to download firmware from its own official resources. To receive FlymeOS packages latest versions For M2 Note you can use the following links:

All packages and tools used in the examples below are available for download from the links that can be found in the corresponding instructions in this material.

Preparation

Proper preparation determines the success of almost any event, and the software installation process in Meizu M2 Note is no exception. To achieve the desired results, we do the following.

Drivers

As for pairing Meizu M2 Note with a computer, the phone usually does not provide its users with any problems with this issue. The drivers necessary for interaction between the device and the PC are integrated into factory firmware and are most often installed automatically.

If automatic installation of the necessary components is not performed, you should use the virtual CD built into the device’s memory, which contains the installer.

In case M2 Note does not load into Android, and using the built-in SD is impossible, the contents of the latter can be downloaded from the link:

Flyme account

By purchasing a Meizu device running the proprietary Flyme shell, you can count on the opportunity to take advantage of all the advantages of a fairly developed ecosystem of applications and services created by the smartphone developer. To gain access to a number of functions, including those that will be needed in the process of preparing for firmware, you need a Flym account.

Note that registering an account and adding it to your phone greatly simplifies obtaining root rights, as well as creating a backup copy of user data. This will be discussed below, but in general we can say that a Flyme account is necessary for every device owner. You can register an account directly from your smartphone, but, for example, on Chinese versions of FlymeOS this may be difficult. Therefore, the most correct thing would be to carry out the creation process account from PC.

Open the page for registering a new account by following the link:

Filling out the input field telephone number by selecting the country code from the drop-down list and entering the digits of the number manually. Then click "Click to pass" and complete the simple task “You are not a robot.” After this the button becomes active "Register now", press it.

We are waiting for an SMS with a verification code,

which we enter into the appropriate field on the page of the next registration step, and then click "NEXT".

The next step is to come up with and enter in the field "Password" account password and then click "SUBMIT".

The profile management page will open, where you can set a meaningful nickname and avatar (1), change the password (2), add an email address (3) and security questions to restore access (4).

Set the Account Name, which you will need to enter on your smartphone:

Please note that as a result of the manipulation we obtain a login for access to the Flyme account of the form [email protected], which is both a login and by email in the Meizu ecosystem.
On your smartphone, open the device settings and go to "Flyme account"(“Flyme Account”) section "Account"(“Account”). Next, click "Login/Register"(“Login/Register”), then enter the Account Name (top field) and password (bottom field) specified during registration. Click "Log in"("ENTRANCE").

At this point, account creation can be considered complete.

Backup

When flashing any device, a situation arises when all the data contained in its memory, including user information (contacts, photos and videos, installed applications etc.) will be deleted is a standard and quite common case.

To prevent the loss of important information, it is necessary to back it up. As for Meizu M2 Note, creating a backup can be done various methods. For example, you can use one of the ways to save information before flashing Android devices from the article:

In addition, the manufacturer has created a good tool for creating a backup copy of important data for Meizu smartphone users without using third party tools. Using the capabilities of your Fly account, you can fully or partially save a copy of almost all your data, including system settings, installed applications, contacts, messages, call history, calendar data, photos.

Additionally. Synchronization with Meizu cloud.

In addition to creating a local backup, Meizu allows you to synchronize basic user data with your own cloud service, and, if necessary, restore information by simply logging into your Fly account. To implement constant automatic synchronization we do the following.

Obtaining root rights

To perform serious manipulations with the Meizu M2 Note system software, Superuser rights are required. For owners of the device in question who have registered a Flyme account, the procedure does not present any difficulties and is carried out using the following official method.

Additionally. In the event that using a Flyme account and the official method of obtaining root rights is impossible for some reason, you can use the KingRoot application. Manipulations through the program carried out in order to obtain Superuser rights are described in the material:

ID replacement

When switching from software versions intended for use in China to Global firmware, you will need to change the hardware identifier. By following the steps of the instructions below, the “Chinese” Meizu M2 Note turns into a “European” device into which you can install software containing the Russian language, Google services and other advantages.

Make sure you have Superuser rights on the device.
Install the “Terminal Emulator for Android” application in one of the following ways:

Download the archive containing a special script for changing the Meizu M2 Note ID.
Unpack the package with the script and place the file chid.sh to the root of the smartphone's internal memory.

Let's launch "Terminal Emulator". We write the command su and press "Enter" on the virtual keyboard.

Grant root rights to the application – button "Allow" in the request window and "Still Allow" in the warning window.
The result of executing the command above should be the change of the $ symbol to # in the terminal command line. Write the command sh /sdcard/chid.sh and click "Enter". After this, the device will reboot automatically and start up with a new identifier.

To make sure everything was successful, you should perform the above two steps again. If the identifier is suitable for installing the global version of the OS, the terminal will issue a corresponding notification.

Firmware

Below are two possible ways installation, update and rollback to an earlier version of the official FlymeOS in Meizu M2 Note, and also provides instructions for installing modified (custom) solutions. Before performing any manipulations, you should study the instructions for the selected method from start to finish and prepare everything you need.

Method 1: Factory recovery

This official method of installing the system is the most preferable from a safety point of view. Using this method, you can update FlymeOS, as well as rollback to more early versions. In addition, the method may be an effective solution if the device does not boot into Android.

In the example below, FlymeOS 5.1.6.0G version is installed on a device with FlymeOS 5.1.6.0A and a previously changed identifier.

Download the system software package. The archive used in the example is available for download at the following link:
Without renaming, copy the file update.zip to the root of the device’s internal memory.

We boot into recovery. To do this, with the Meizu M2 Note turned off, hold down the volume up button and, while holding it, press the power key. After vibration "Inclusion" let go, and "Volume+" hold until the screen appears as in the photo below.

If the update package was not copied to the internal memory of the device before entering recovery, you can connect the smartphone in recovery mode to the PC with a USB cable and transfer the file with the system to the device’s memory without booting into Android. With this connection option, the smartphone is detected by the computer as a removable disk "Recovery" with a capacity of 1.5 GB, into which you need to copy the package "update.zip"

Place a check mark on the item "Clear data" which involves data cleaning.

If you are updating the version and using a package with the same type of firmware as the one already installed to install, cleaning may not be necessary, but in general, this operation is highly recommended.
Press the button "Start". This will begin the process of checking the software package, and then start the installation process.

We are waiting for the installation of the new version of Fly to finish, after which the smartphone will automatically reboot into updated system. You just need to wait for the installed components to initialize.

All that remains is to carry out the initial setup of the shell, if data was cleared,

Method 2: Built-in update installer

This method of installing system software in Meizu M2 Note is the simplest possible. In general, it can be recommended for updating the FlymeOS version on fully working smartphones.

When using this method, all data contained in the smartphone is saved, unless otherwise specified by the user before installing the update. In the example below, we install official firmware FlymeOS 6.1.0.0G on top of version 5.1.6.0G installed using the first method.

Method 3: Custom firmware

The technical characteristics of Meizu M2 Note allow third-party developers to create, and device owners to install and use very functional versions of system software, which are based on modern versions of Android, including 7.1 Nougat. Using such solutions allows you to get the latest software without waiting for the developer to release an update to the official FlymeOS shell (it is likely that this will not happen at all, because the model in question is not the “freshest”).

Many modified versions have been released for Meizu M2 Note operating systems, based on the decisions of such well-known development teams as CyanogenMod, Lineage, MIUI Team, as well as ordinary enthusiastic users. All such solutions are installed in the same way and require the following steps for installation. Follow the instructions carefully!

Unlocking the bootloader

Before it becomes possible to install Meizu M2 Note modified recovery and custom firmware, the device’s bootloader must be unlocked. It is assumed that before the procedure, FlymeOS 6 is installed on the device and root rights are obtained. If this is not the case, you should follow the steps of one of the system installation methods described above.

As a tool for unlocking the Meizu M2 Note bootloader, we use the almost universal flash tool for MTK devices SP FlashTool, as well as a set of specially prepared image files. We download the archive with everything you need from the link:

If you have no experience working with SP FlashTool, it is highly recommended that you familiarize yourself with the material describing the basic concepts and purposes of the procedures performed through the application.