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Qualcomm QRD8250 (qualcomm-qrd8250)

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Qualcomm QRD8250
Two Qualcomm QRD8250 devices
Two Qualcomm QRD8250 devices
Manufacturer Qualcomm
Name QRD8250
Codename qualcomm-qrd8250
Released 2019
Type handset
Hardware
Chipset Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 5G (SM8250)
CPU Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77
3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77
4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55)
GPU Adreno 650
Display 1440 x 2880 pixels (~537 ppi density)
Storage 128GB
Memory 6 GB
Architecture aarch64
Software
Original software
The software and version the device was shipped with.
Android (CodeLinaro) 10 (eng.lnxbui.20190620.183826)
Extended version
The most recent supported version from the manufacturer.
Android (CodeLinaro)
FOSS bootloader yes
Mainline
Instead of a Linux kernel fork, it is possible to run (Close to) Mainline.
no

The Qualcomm QRD8250 is a Qualcomm Reference Device made by TCL in 2019. These devices were used for showcasing the Snapdragon 865 platform, as well as a reference design for OEMs.

Warning WARNING: Every working QRD8250 has secure-boot turned off. If you see one with secure-boot turned on, run away as fast as you can!

Users owning this device

  • BotchedRPR (Notes: DEAD. Fused by flashing some Xiaomi firmware by an IDIOT in China.)
  • BotchedRPR (Notes: Works. Secure boot off.)


Obtaining

Warning WARNING: Make SURE that the device that you will be obtaining at least tries to boot - to a fastboot menu is enough. If not, you will probably end up with a forever bricked device!

After these devices were used for their desired purposes, some were destroyed, some were recycled, some however were sold and ended up on the second hand market primarily in China. These devices show up on platforms such as Goofish, in varying conditions.

Xiaomi-plague

Sometime after these devices entered the second-hand market, people started to play around with them. A somewhat popular (in the QRD space) trend was to install other Android ROMs, most notably Xiaomi's HyperOS on these devices. Unfortunately for many of these units, people were not researching this process enough, flashing the entire firmware package to these units. The Xiaomi bootloader that gets flashed - the first thing that it will do, is blow fuses and a secure boot key to the device. Then it will fail to boot because of the hardware differences. There is no coming back from this point. Secure boot is now turned on, and can never be unfused back off. The device is now pretty much useless and stuck in EDL forever. Not even EDL peek/poke commands will work, and the phone will only accept Xiaomi firehose files.

Power modes

  • ABL Test mode (only on some builds): Hold Volume Up and Power while the device is off.
  • Fastboot mode: Hold Power until you hear a vibration. Then let go of it, and hold Volume Down until you see the Fastboot mode menu.

Debugging

This board has a debug connector on it, which is tracked down to be the I-PEX NOVASTACK® 35-PH 20843-050E-21 receptacle. A debug board is in progress of being built.

Debug connector on QRD8250

Mainline

Does not boot, not even via u-boot!

See also

QRD8250 dumped firmware