When a Xiaomi smartphone stops turning on or hangs on the logo, it often requires intervention through Fastboot mode. At this point, the device screen can only display a rabbit repairing an android, and technical information that is not always clear to the average user.Knowing the exact model of the device at this point is critical, since firmware of an inappropriate file can lead to irreversible consequences for the motherboard.
Fastboot is a debugging protocol built directly into the Android bootloader that allows you to perform low-level operations on the file system. This is where your gadget's "passport" is stored, including the serial number, the bootloader version and, most importantly, the model code name. Unlike the usual settings menu, which can only be accessed on a running system, this mode is available even with completely non-working software.
In this guide, we will take a look at how to read screen information, connect to a computer to get detailed data, and decrypt the codes you receive, learn how to distinguish between global and Chinese versions, and understand why this information is needed to flash through the Mi Flash Tool, and look at both visual methods and software diagnostics.
Visual identification of the model on the screen of the device
The fastest way to understand which device you're dealing with is to look closely at the smartphone screen while it's in bootloader mode. Usually, when you enter this mode (clicking the volume button down and connecting the USB cable), the display display displays a picture of a hare and text in orange or black. At the bottom of the screen, a FASTBOOT string is often displayed, and under it or near it, an alphanumeric code consisting of several letters and numbers.
This code is the internal model designation that Xiaomi uses to identify the hardware platform, for example, you can see labels like "cepheus," "davinci," "dipper" or "ursa." These are code names for projects in development and are often different from the marketing names that appear on the box, and it is the code that makes it easier to find the relevant firmware on official resources or forums.
⚠️ Warning: Do not try to enter commands or press buttons at random unless you are sure of your actions. A random choice of Power Off or Reboot mode can interrupt the diagnostic process, and in rare cases, improper manipulation of memory partitions can lead to data loss.
If the code doesn’t show up right away, try pressing the power button or volume down several times. On some models, such as the Redmi Note series or POCO, model information may be hidden in the second or third menu of the bootloader screen. It’s also worth paying attention to the color of the indicator: orange text often indicates an unlocked bootloader, while black or blue indicates a locked one, which also affects the available firmware methods.
Connection to PC and use ADB-tool
To get more information than just a code name, you need to connect your smartphone to your computer. USB, Because cheap cables often only support charging and don't transmit data, and once you connect the device in Fastboot mode, the computer needs to recognize it as a composite. USB-Device or device with Android Bootloader Interface ID.
The main tool for interacting with the device at this level is the Fastboot utility, which is part of the Android SDK Platform-Tools. After installing the drivers and unpacking the tools, you need to open the command line in the utilities folder. To verify the connection, enter a command that will send a request to the device and receive a response with full configuration information.
fastboot devices
fastboot getvar allThe fastboot getvar all team will display a huge list of variables to look for product, version-baseband, and serialno lines. The product field will specify the exact code name, and the version-baseband often contains information about the region (CN for China, Global for the world), which allows you to accurately identify the device even if the stickers on the case are erased or the screen is broken.
☑️ Checking the Fastboot connection
Decoding of code names and table of correspondence
Understanding how Xiaomi names its devices internally helps avoid errors when searching for software. Marketing name, for example, Xiaomi Mi 9, in the system and when downloading will appear as cepheus. This is done to simplify the development, as different modifications of the same model can have different code names depending on the processor or screen type.
Below is a table of matching popular models and their code names, which you can see in Fastboot. This information is relevant for most of the modern devices of the brand, including the sub-brands Redmi and POCO. Save this table, it will come in handy when you see an obscure word on the screen.
| Marketing name | Codename (Fastboot) | Processor series | Year of release |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xiaomi Mi 9 | cepheus | Snapdragon 855 | 2019 |
| Xiaomi Mi 11 | venus | Snapdragon 888 | 2021 |
| Redmi Note 9 Pro | curtana / joyeuse | Snapdragon 720G | 2020 |
| POCO X3 NFC | surya | Snapdragon 732G | 2020 |
| Xiaomi 13 | fuxi | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 | 2023 |
Importantly, the same marketing name can hide different code names depending on the region. For example, the global version of the Redmi Note 9 Pro has curtana code, while the Indian version of the same phone may be called joyeuse.
Why do code names change?
Defining the regional version through Fastboot
One of the main reasons why users need to learn the model through Fastboot is to change the region or recover from a failed flash. Global versions (Global) differ from Chinese (China) not only by the presence of Google services, but also by supported LTE and NFC frequencies. A mistake in choosing a regional firmware can lead to the fact that 4G or banking applications will stop working.
In bootloader mode, you can often identify a region by the suffix in the build number or by additional parameters output by the fastboot getvar all command. Look for a variable customer or region. If the device is Chinese, you will often see signs like China Mobile or the absence of Global mention in the baseband version bar. Global versions are characterized by a region code, for example, RU (Russia), EU (Europe) or IN (India).
⚠️ Warning: Flashing the Chinese version of the phone to global firmware (and vice versa) requires an unlocked bootloader.Attempting to record a global firmware image on a blocked Chinese phone via Fastboot will result in a signature verification error and a record denial.
Also, there are "European" versions of Chinese devices sold in international stores, which may have a Chinese code name but global firmware out of the box. In Fastboot, these devices will behave like Chinese versions of hardware, which is important to consider when choosing a recovery method.
Diagnosis of loader status and safety
Fastboot also reports the security status of the device, which is critical if you're buying a used phone or planning to install a customized backup, and Locked/Unlocked status has a direct impact on the ability of banking applications, Mi Pay, and access to some of the system's features.
When executing the command fastboot getvar all, pay attention to the string (Un)Lock Status or similar flags. If the bootloader is unlocked, the system warns about this every time it is turned on, and the integrity of the data may be in question. For some Xiaomi models, unlocking the bootloader permanently changes the status of fuses, making it impossible to return to a fully factory-proof state even if the bootloader is blocked again.
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Save the getvar all output to a text file, which will help you quickly find information about your device in the future without plugging it back in again, and will also be useful when communicating with technical support or on forums.
In addition, Fastboot can provide Android Verified Boot, if the device has been modified, the status may be orange or yellow, which means that the integrity of the boot image is violated, often after the installation of Magisk or custom cores. For the average user, the status should be green or locked.
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bootloader status in Fastboot is the main indicator of the possibility of installing third-party software. Locked is safe for the bank, but closed for mods. Unlocked is full access, but security risks and loss of warranty.
Frequent problems and their solution when working with Fastboot
Users often face a situation where the computer does not see the phone in Fastboot mode, or the utility gives an error waiting for the device. USB 3.0/3.1, It's a problem that might conflict with older versions of the bootloader. USB 2.0 Or use another cable.
Another common problem is the FAILED: remote: Device is locked error, which means you’re trying to execute a command requiring administrator or unlocked bootloader rights on a secure device, so you can learn the model through standard commands, but you can’t write a new firmware without first unlocking it through your Mi Account.
If the Fastboot screen is not readable due to broken pixels or cracks, and the computer can not see the device, only the hardware method remains. On some Redmi and POCO models, you can briefly close certain contacts on the board (test points) to put the phone in EDL (Emergency Download Mode), where the computer will determine the device as Qualcomm HS-USB QDLoader 9008. This is a deep recovery mode that requires an authorized account for firmware.