Crucial Warning: Never select "Format All + Download" in SP Flash Tool on hermes (MT6795), as erasing NVRAM, PROINFO, and PROTECT wipes both IMEI numbers and causes NVRAM WARNING Err = 0x10. Do not cross-flash Snapdragon Redmi Note 3 (kenzo) or Helio X20 Redmi Note 4 (nikel) files.
Redmi Note 2 / Prime (hermes) MIUI 9.6, Weekly & TWRP Files
Global Stable — Final MIUI 9.6 (V9.6.3.0.LHMMIFD) 2 packages
hermes_global_images_V9.6.3.0.LHMMIFD_20180801.0000.00_5.0_global_0dc0ffff2c.tgz
Final official Global Stable Fastboot archive with Google Play Services
MD5: 0dc0ffff2ca6c0db2de6a15029e2c4a9
miui_HMNote2Global_V9.6.3.0.LHMMIFD_83711029cc_5.0.zip
Signed Global MIUI 9.6 Recovery update ZIP
MD5: 83711029ccbded537bac9601b6fbf8c1
Global Weekly Beta — Final Developer Snapshot (8.4.19) 2 packages
hermes_global_images_8.4.19_20180419.0000.00_5.0_global_f73b8ca2d7.tgz
Final Global Weekly developer Fastboot archive
MD5: f73b8ca2d7eca4b3923971a6a2c3ceff
miui_HMNote2Global_8.4.19_2e5cb9089c_5.0.zip
Global Weekly 8.4.19 Recovery OTA ZIP
MD5: 2e5cb9089cc3bdb01aa126f028a9ecc1
China Stable — Final MIUI 9.6 (V9.6.2.0 & V9.6.1.0.LHMCNFD) 3 packages
miui_HMNote2_V9.6.2.0.LHMCNFD_1376f0a0c5_5.0.zip
Latest China Stable MIUI 9.6 Recovery package (no separate Fastboot image)
MD5: 1376f0a0c5e21360f8aa6d6bc2853c37
hermes_images_V9.6.1.0.LHMCNFD_20180619.0000.00_5.0_cn_5ceb2c867c.tgz
Latest full China Stable Fastboot archive
MD5: 5ceb2c867c8a07fc197b4df8adf8ab6c
miui_HMNote2_V9.6.1.0.LHMCNFD_f99fc12ea5_5.0.zip
Signed China MIUI 9.6.1.0 Recovery ZIP
MD5: f99fc12ea53f002a51211eafabaef765
China Weekly Beta — Final Developer Snapshot (8.4.26) 2 packages
hermes_images_8.4.26_20180426.0000.00_5.0_cn_6d69086592.tgz
Final China Weekly developer Fastboot package
MD5: 6d690865924901e2939b4120d6d816ee
miui_HMNote2_8.4.26_1e34486419_5.0.zip
China Weekly 8.4.26 Recovery OTA ZIP
MD5: 1e3448641959823b2225e8d6bd7f40bb
Official Custom Recovery (TWRP) 1 package
twrp-3.7.0_9-0-hermes.img
Official TeamWin Recovery Project image for hermes (SHA-256: 1e3c75708d620b9325a337d1f03652da4e48e0118f04b4ccc6791f4b8e37dcc5)
MD5: 4cf33ca3bbe7cb8db6fcba9b6045b124
High-Level Firmware Restoration Path for MT6795 (hermes)
- Verify Redmi Note 2 or Prime model code (2015051–2015712) and FDD/TDD baseband
- Download Global Stable V9.6.3.0.LHMMIFD, China V9.6.2.0/9.6.1.0, or Weekly builds
- Verify MD5 checksums and double-extract .tgz archives with 7-Zip
- Flash via SP Flash Tool ("Download Only") or Fastboot, then wipe /data across branch jumps
- Back up /nvram in twrp-3.7.0_9-0-hermes.img before experimenting with custom ROMs
Standard vs Prime Checks, TDD/FDD SKUs & NVRAM Safety
- Confirm your battery compartment sticker or box lists Redmi Note 2 / Prime (2015051, 2015052, 2015055, 2015056, or 2015712) and identify whether your SKU is FDD-LTE or China Mobile TDD-only.
- Use the removable 3,060 mAh battery to your advantage before SP Flash Tool BROM sessions—seat or reseat it cleanly and verify at least 40% charge before writing eMMC 5.0 blocks.
- Inspect the removable back cover and microUSB 2.0 jack for wear on aging 2015 handsets so cables do not cut out mid-transfer.
- Verify downloaded MD5 checksums—especially hermes_global_images_V9.6.3.0.LHMMIFD_20180801.0000.00_5.0_global_0dc0ffff2c.tgz (0dc0ffff2ca6c0db2de6a15029e2c4a9).
- Keep a TWRP backup of /nvram and /persist before trying custom Android 6/7 ports, since erasing nvram wipes MT6795 radio calibration.
Helio X10 Specifications & Hardware Variants
Released in 2015 prior to Xiaomi's Mi Unlock token enforcement; hermes supports direct Fastboot image flashing and MediaTek MT6795 BROM recovery via SP Flash Tool without SLA account auth.
Ready to Flash This Firmware?
Full step-by-step instructions for Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 / Redmi Note 2 Prime, including prerequisites, error fixes, and screenshots, are on FlashGuideHub's SP Flash Tool guide.
Can also be flashed via Mi Flash Tool: Open Mi Flash Tool Guide →
Redmi Note 2 (hermes) Prime Compatibility, Android 5.0 & Branch FAQ
Yes. Standard FDD/TDD variants (2015051, 2015052) and 32 GB Prime variants (2015055, 2015056, 2015712) use the identical hermes MediaTek MT6795 motherboard layout, display driver, and partition map, so all official Fastboot, Recovery, and TWRP 3.7.0_9-0 images run across both tiers cleanly.
MediaTek never released updated Android 6.0 Marshmallow BSP kernel sources for the 28nm MT6795 Helio X10 SoC. Xiaomi continued delivering MIUI UI updates, security patches, and bug fixes—upgrading Redmi Note 2 from MIUI 7 through MIUI 8 and finally MIUI 9.6 (V9.6.3.0.LHMMIFD)—strictly on top of the original Android 5.0 Lollipop base.
Global Stable V9.6.3.0.LHMMIFD includes full Google Play Services, multilingual support, and Xiaomi's final audio/stability patches for international FDD units. China V9.6.2.0.LHMCNFD omits Google apps for domestic users and was distributed solely as a Recovery OTA update atop the V9.6.1.0 Fastboot base, whereas 8.4.19 and 8.4.26 are the final public beta builds from April 2018.