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GUYS IS THIS NORMAL? I FLASH CN ROM IN MY PAD 7 PRO BUT IT’S

Guys, is this normal? I flash cn rom in my pad 7 pro but it’s been 2 still not finish

Understanding the Flashing Process Duration for the Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro

We understand the anxiety that arises when a firmware flashing process extends significantly beyond the expected timeframe. The specific scenario involves flashing a Chinese (CN) ROM onto a Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro, a process that has reportedly stalled or continued for two hours without completion. In the realm of Android device customization and firmware management, particularly with Xiaomi devices, this is a critical situation that requires immediate attention and a structured troubleshooting approach.

Flashing firmware, also known as installing a new operating system image, is a complex operation that involves erasing the existing data partitions, formatting specific areas of the internal storage, and writing new system files. For the Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro, which operates on a relatively modern Android architecture (typically Android 14-based HyperOS), the duration of this process can vary. Under normal circumstances, a clean flash of a standard ROM using the Mi Flash Tool or a custom recovery like TWRP (Team Win Recovery Project) should ideally take between 10 to 20 minutes. However, when we deal with cross-flashing—installing a Chinese region ROM on a device that might have been originally intended for a global market, or vice versa—complexities arise that can extend this time.

A duration of two hours is not only abnormal but indicative of a significant issue. It suggests that the flashing process has likely encountered a deadlock, a driver conflict, or a partition mismatch that prevents the verification and writing of new blocks. In most cases where a flash exceeds 30 minutes without visible progress (such as a moving progress bar or active log output), the process is considered stuck. Continuing to wait without intervention can lead to a “hard brick,” rendering the device unusable. We must analyze the potential root causes to determine the correct recovery steps.

The Role of Device Partitions and A/B Partitioning

The Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro, like many modern Android tablets, likely utilizes an A/B partitioning scheme (seamless updates). This architecture includes two sets of system partitions (slot A and slot B) to allow for background updates without downtime. When flashing a ROM, the tool or recovery must correctly identify the active slot and write to the inactive slot. If the flashing script fails to switch slots correctly or encounters an error in verifying the system or vendor partitions, the process can hang indefinitely.

Flashing a CN ROM to a device that may have a different regional firmware base introduces partition size discrepancies. The Chinese ROM often includes specific apps and services (like MIUI Home, Chinese system apps) that may occupy different partition sizes compared to a Global ROM. If the system partition on the device is smaller than the ROM being flashed, or if the vendor partition layout differs, the flashing utility will fail to write the data properly, resulting in a stalled operation. We must consider that the internal storage controller might be waiting for a write confirmation that never arrives due to these partition mismatches.

Common Reasons for a Stalled Flash on Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro

When a user reports that a flash has been running for two hours without finishing, we immediately look at the most probable culprits. These issues generally fall into three categories: hardware interface problems, software/driver conflicts, and firmware incompatibilities.

USB Connection and Driver Instability

The physical connection between the computer and the Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro is the lifeline of the flashing process. The Mi Flash Tool, which is the official utility for flashing Xiaomi devices, relies heavily on Qualcomm HS-USB drivers. The Pad 7 Pro utilizes a Qualcomm chipset (likely the Snapdragon 8 Gen series). If the USB drivers are outdated, corrupt, or incompatible with the specific USB port being used, the data transfer can drop.

A common issue is the use of USB 3.0 or 3.1 ports, which, while faster, can sometimes introduce latency or power delivery issues with certain devices during the critical low-level flashing stages. We always recommend using a high-quality USB 2.0 cable and a USB 2.0 port on the motherboard (directly on the PC, not through a hub). If the connection drops even for a millisecond during the flashall.bat or flash.xml execution, the tool may not recognize the disconnect immediately, appearing as if it is still processing while actually doing nothing.

Furthermore, Windows Power Management settings often put USB hubs to sleep. If the PC decides to conserve power during the 2-hour window, the USB connection might be severed, causing the flash to hang. We advise disabling USB Selective Suspend settings in the Windows Device Manager to ensure uninterrupted power delivery.

Firmware Compatibility and Anti-Rollback Protection

Flashing a CN ROM to a Pad 7 Pro intended for other regions is a delicate operation. Xiaomi implements Anti-Rollback (ARB) protection in their bootloaders to prevent downgrading to vulnerable firmware versions. If the CN ROM you are attempting to flash has a lower bootloader version than the one currently installed on the device, the flashing process will likely fail or hang at the vbmeta or boot partition flashing stage.

Additionally, the Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro runs on HyperOS. The Chinese HyperOS branch differs significantly from the Global branch in terms of baseband and radio firmware. If the flashing process attempts to overwrite the modem firmware with an incompatible version, the device’s modem may crash, causing the entire flash utility to wait for a response that never comes. This is a common reason for the “stuck at 2 hours” scenario.

Corrupted Installation Media or ROM Files

The integrity of the ROM file itself is paramount. If the downloaded ROM zip file is corrupted—due to an interrupted download or a server error—the flashing tool will fail to extract or verify the images. Tools like Mi Flash usually perform a checksum verification before writing. However, if the system.img or vendor.img is corrupt, the tool might attempt to write the data, fail the verification check silently, and then hang waiting for a command line prompt.

We strongly advise checking the MD5 or SHA1 checksum of the downloaded ROM files against the official checksum provided by Xiaomi or the source. Using incomplete or nightly builds from unofficial sources significantly increases the risk of corruption.

Immediate Steps to Recover a Stuck Device

If you are currently staring at a screen that has been stuck for two hours, we must take action to recover the device without causing permanent damage. The primary goal is to interrupt the process safely and reboot the device into a usable state, typically Fastboot Mode.

Forcing a Reboot and Entering Fastboot

  1. Disconnect the USB Cable: First, unplug the USB cable from the Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro. This removes the data connection but keeps the device powered on (assuming it is not connected to a charger).
  2. Long Press the Power Button: Press and hold the Power button on the tablet for a minimum of 15 to 20 seconds. This is a hard reset that forces the device to cut power to the operating system and reboot.
  3. Observe the Screen: Do not touch any buttons immediately. Wait for the screen to go black and then look for the Mi logo or the “Fastboot” rabbit animation. If the device vibrates or shows the logo, release the power button.
  4. Entering Fastboot Manually: If the device reboots into the OS (bootloop) or stays black, we need to force Fastboot mode. With the device off (or after a forced reboot), hold the Volume Down button and connect the USB cable to the PC. Keep holding Volume Down until the “Fastboot” text appears on the screen.

Using ADB and Fastboot Tools

Once the device is in Fastboot mode, we can verify connectivity using the Android SDK Platform Tools. Open a command prompt on your PC and navigate to the folder containing fastboot.exe. Type:

fastboot devices

If the device is listed (e.g., xxxxxx fastboot), the connection is restored. If not, the driver issue persists. We may need to reinstall the Qualcomm HS-USB drivers manually via Device Manager.

Re-flashing via Mi Flash Tool Correctly

Now that we have a stable connection, we must attempt the flash again with the correct settings.

  1. Select the Correct ROM: Ensure you are using a “Stable” ROM, not “Developer,” unless you know exactly what you are doing.
  2. Clean All & Lock (Optional but Recommended): In Mi Flash Tool, the “Flash All” option keeps user data, while “Flash All + Lock” wipes data and relocks the bootloader (risky if unlocked). Since we are having issues, we recommend using “Flash All” first. However, if the previous flash was a “dirty flash” (overwriting without wiping), it is highly likely that data remnants caused the hang. We suggest backing up data (if possible) and performing a clean flash.
  3. C Script Editing: For advanced users, if the standard script fails, we can edit the flash_all.bat file. Locate the line that executes fastboot flash and add echo commands to see exactly which partition is failing. If it hangs on userdata, note that userdata is the largest partition; this takes time, but two hours is excessive.
  4. Disable Antivirus: Temporarily disable Windows Defender or third-party antivirus software. These programs can scan the temporary files created during the extraction of the ROM, causing massive CPU and I/O latency that slows down the flashing process to a crawl, mimicking a hang.

Advanced Troubleshooting for the Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro

If the standard recovery methods fail, we must delve into advanced techniques to revive the tablet.

Checking Partition Sizes (Dynamic vs. Static)

The Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro uses dynamic partitions (Super Partition). If the CN ROM expects a different dynamic partition layout than what exists on the device, the fastboot flash super command will fail. We can check the current partition layout by typing: fastboot getvar all

This command outputs a list of variables, including the current slot (a or b) and the device variant. Ensure the ROM variant matches the device model (e.g., sheng or whatever the internal codename for the Pad 7 Pro is). Flashing a ROM for a different device model will certainly cause a hang or brick.

Using QFIL (Qualcomm Flash Image Loader)

If the device is stuck in a black screen and Fastboot is inaccessible, we may need to use QFIL. This is a low-level flashing tool used for Qualcomm devices in EDL (Emergency Download) Mode.

  1. Entering EDL Mode: This usually requires the device to be completely powered off. Hold the Volume Up and Volume Down keys simultaneously and connect the USB cable. If the device is recognized in Device Manager as “Qualcomm HS-USB QDLoader 9008,” you are in EDL mode.
  2. Programmer and Rawprogram: In QFIL, you need the prog_emmc_firehose_...mbn file and the rawprogram0.xml and flash.xml files usually found in the extracted ROM folder.
  3. The Process: Select the Flat Build option, load the programmer, and browse to the XML files. Click “Download.” This bypasses the Android bootloader and writes directly to the eMMC/UFS storage. This process is more stable and often succeeds where Mi Flash fails. However, this requires specific firehose loaders which are not always publicly available for every device.

Transitioning from CN ROM to Global ROM (The Reverse Process)

The original context also mentioned a user asking how to flash a Global ROM to a CN ROM ASAP. This direction—Globalizing a Chinese device—is often more complex than the reverse.

Why CN to Global is Difficult

Chinese ROMs often have a permanently locked bootloader or specific anti-rollback protections that make switching to Global ROMs difficult without using tools like the Xiaomi.eu ROM (which is a modified CN ROM) or strictly official firmware methods. If the Pad 7 Pro originally came with a CN ROM, flashing a Global ROM directly via Mi Flash often results in an error: error: cannot load 'flash.xml': No such file or directory or simply a verification failure.

The Solution: Using Xiaomi.eu ROMs

For users wanting a Global-like experience on a CN device, we highly recommend the Xiaomi.eu custom ROM. These are based on the Chinese MIUI/HyperOS but debloated, with Google services added, and optimized for international use. Since they are tailored for the specific hardware of the CN variant, they are much more stable than trying to force a pure Global ROM onto Chinese hardware.

To flash Xiaomi.eu:

  1. Unlock the bootloader (requires waiting periods, usually 7-30 days).
  2. Install TWRP (Team Win Recovery Project) or OrangeFox Recovery specifically built for the Pad 7 Pro.
  3. Wipe Data, Dalvik, Cache, and System.
  4. Flash the Xiaomi.eu ROM zip file.
  5. Flash the Magisk module for Google Apps if not included (though usually they are).
  6. Reboot.

This method avoids the “stuck for hours” issue because TWRP handles the flashing in a more user-controlled environment, showing real-time progress logs.

Preventing Future Flashing Issues

To ensure that future attempts do not result in another two-hour stall, we must adhere to a strict protocol.

The Pre-Flash Checklist

Understanding “Anti-rollback” (ARB)

Check your current firmware version in Fastboot mode (fastboot getvar anti). If the value is higher than 0, you have ARB protection active. You can only flash firmware with an equal or higher ARB version. Flashing lower ARB firmware will result in a hard brick. This is often the silent reason why flashes hang—they are blocked at the security level.

Recovering Data After a Failed Flash

If the device is now booting but data is lost, or if we had to wipe the device to recover, data recovery is the next step. However, because Android encryption (File-Based Encryption) is tied to the original ROM’s encryption key, data recovery after a full wipe is generally impossible without the original key.

If the device is still accessible via Fastboot, we can try to boot a custom recovery (like TWRP) without flashing it, using the command: fastboot boot twrp.img

Once booted into TWRP, we can mount the data partition and attempt to pull files via ADB Sideload or MTP (Media Transfer Protocol). This is the safest way to retrieve photos and documents before performing a final, clean flash to fix the system.

Conclusion: The Path Forward

Experiencing a flash process that stalls for two hours on a Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro is a clear indication that the current method is flawed. Whether it is due to driver instability, partition mismatches, or incompatible firmware (CN vs. Global), the solution lies in a methodical reset of the process.

We recommend aborting the current flash, forcing the device into Fastboot mode, and utilizing the Xiaomi Flash Tool with a verified ROM image, ensuring all drivers are correctly installed and USB power management is disabled. For users seeking to move from a CN ROM to a Global environment, we advise against forcing a Global firmware directly, as this often leads to hardware-level conflicts. Instead, the adoption of a custom ROM like Xiaomi.eu offers a more stable, feature-rich solution that is specifically designed for the hardware architecture of the Chinese variant.

By following these detailed technical steps, users can mitigate the risk of bricking their device and successfully complete the firmware installation process. Patience and precision are the keys to successful Android modification, and understanding the specific requirements of the Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro’s Qualcomm architecture is essential for a smooth transition.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I leave my device overnight if the flash is stuck? A: We strictly advise against this. If a flash has not progressed in 30 minutes, it is effectively dead. Leaving it plugged in overnight risks overheating the processor and permanently corrupting the eMMC storage, making recovery impossible even with EDL tools.

Q: Will using a different USB cable fix the issue? A: Absolutely. A low-quality cable often lacks the necessary shielding or wire gauge to maintain stable voltage and data transfer. Always use an OEM cable or a high-quality third-party cable rated for data transfer, not just charging.

Q: My device is vibrating but the screen is black. What should I do? A: This is a common boot loop or “black screen of death.” Hold the Power button for 30 seconds to force a shutdown. Then, attempt to enter Fastboot mode by holding Volume Down + Power. If that fails, try Volume Up + Power to enter Recovery. If neither works, EDL mode is the only remaining option.

Q: Is it safe to flash a CN ROM on a Global Pad 7 Pro? A: Yes, it is generally safe, but you may lose Google Pay functionality and LTE bands might differ. The bigger risk is the “stuck flash” issue we discussed, which usually stems from driver incompatibilities or bootloader version mismatches. Always check the ARB (Anti-Rollback) index before flashing.

Q: Can Magisk help if I am stuck in a boot loop? A: Magisk is a tool for rooting and modifying an already booted system. It cannot fix a corrupted flash or a device stuck in Fastboot/EDL. However, once you successfully flash a working ROM, you can use Magisk (available via our Magisk Module Repository) to gain root access and install custom modules to enhance performance.

Q: Why does the progress bar in Mi Flash stop at 0% or 99%? A: At 0%, it usually means the tool cannot communicate with the device (driver issue). At 99%, it often means the tool is waiting for the device to reboot and verify the flash. If it hangs at 99%, the device

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