KNARFOH

Credits 1st - Thanks to zedBELL and NEEDROM for being the first to post the GOME K1 OVERSEAS FIRMWARE (to my knowledge).

zedBELL also responded to several private messages on this Board and for that I am also very gratefful. 

I purchased this phone not to be used as a PHONE, but as a controller for my music throughout my home.  I have 12 speakers linked through GOOGLE HOME app and other purchased software.  The speakers include GOOGLE and LG products that are Chrome cast capable.  Even as I type this, I am listening to music using my GOME 2016G68A (also known was GOME K1) phone.  I purchased the 128gb model for $132 American dollars (I had an $8 dollar coupon)..

Sadly my phone arrived with the Chinese language appearing on boot-up.  It took me 2 days (not constantly, I am not a crazy person) to maneuver through the Chinese language menu to find the setting for English.  Then I discovered the included firmware prevented me from logging into my Google Play account and refresh my phone with all the APPS I had already purchased for another ANDROID Phone.  In the meantime, the Chinese seller did send me instructions that told me what I had already figured out:

Chinese to English Setting

 

That began my search for a solution.  The seller (Coolicool) were courteous but slow to help and really did not have a solution though they helped point me in the right direction.  Eventually, they pointed me to the GOME K1 OVERSEAS FIRMWARE but by then zedBELL and NEEDROM had already provided the information I needed to begin my quest.

Like many others,  the videos showed how EASY it was to download and install the drivers and firmware update.  Not for me and I can see from posts I have read, not for many others.  For a week and half I have been trying different methods to get this to work and finally yesterday (April 24, 2018)  I found my solution.  I posting what I did here.  It looks easy (and it was) but I had to figure it out for myself.

SPECIAL NOTE:  IT IS AMAZING HOW MANY ERROR MESSAGES I RECEIVED ALONG THE WAY.  IF YOU GOT DISCOURAGED AND STOPPED --- KEEP GOING !! -- APPARENTLY MANY OF THE ERROR MESSAGES ARE MEANINGLESS.  YOU CLOSE OUT THE ERROR MESSAGE AND KEEP GOING AND IT WILL WORK - AT LEAST FOR ME.  I RECEIVED ERROR MESSAGES BUT WAS SUCCESSFUL IN THE END.

I ended up  using a computer with Windows 8.1 installed as the operating system..  I do have access to computers with WIN 7 and WIN 10 also, but originally I had problems with all 3.  I just happened to be using the computer with WIN 8.1 when I figured out how to properly edit the SPMultiPortFlashDownloadProject.ini file.

First thing is to install the drivers.  I will not get into the details on how to do that since there are several good videos.  Besides the video linked to by zedBELL, I found this YOUTUBE video helpful.  The link was provided by Coolicool.  After you get the drivers installed, move on to the next

WHEN USING SP_MDT_exe_v3.1652.00.00_Update_Efuse I BELIEVE I GOT A TOTAL OF 3 ERROR MESSAGES.  SORRY, I CANNOT REMEMBER THEM ALL BUT ONE WAS ABOUT AN XML FILE BEING CORRUPTED; ANOTHER SAID SPMultiPortFlashDownloadProject.ini FILE INCLUDED CONFLICTS IN THE COM PORT SETTINGS (WE WILL SEE HOW I REMEDIED THAT BELOW).

XML ERROR MESSAGE

KEEP GOING !! THE ABOVE ERROR WAS MEANINGLESS

After running SP_MDT_exe_v3.1652.00.00_Update_Efuse  the first time, I received an error message about COM PORT conflicts, etc.  It suggested running the SCAN again (this occurs the first time when you hit the START NOW button) or manually EDIT the file.  If you run it again, delete the SPMultiPortFlashDownloadProject.ini file first which can be found in the OUTPUT folder of the SP_MDT_exe_v3.1652.00.00_Update_Efuse folder.  Well you know what they say about the definition of CRAZY -- doing the same thing OVER and OVER and expecting different results. I kept swapping out drivers; deleting the SPMultiPortFlashDownloadProject.ini file and RUNNING it again.  Not just on 1 computer but 3:  WIN 7, WIN 8.1 and WIN10 computers..

HOW DID I SOLVE MY PROBLEM?

First, I am not sure I had a problem with the drivers.  I assumed I had problems because the I got so many error messages during the process.  These messages were troublesome, but they did not end up affecting my ability to UPDATE my GOME_2016G68A

Device Manager View

When I first executed the SP_MDT_exe_v3.1652.00.00_Update_Efuse program, I received a CHECKSUM error message.  I had to download the checksum generator tool. You extract all the content of the ZIP file inside the folder where the scatter file is located and execute checksum generator, once you have done this operation everything will work like a charm.

The ROM downloaded (or at least the one I downloaded) did not include the Checksum.ini file that assures the integrity of the download, so the SP_MDT  tool wouldn't allow me to continue to the next step. 

Next, I did run the SP_MDT tool and got numerous COM PORT error messages.

I could see the COM PORTS  utilized by the MediaTek drivers were 3 and 4.  I then checked the SPMultiPortFlashDownloadProject.ini file and saw PORT assignments set by the running SP_MDT_exe_v3.1652.00.00_Update_Efuse the first time (when I got all those port error messages originally) contained all 0 (zeroes).  Obviously the scan of the ports failed and returned conflicting COM PORT Numbers.

DEVICE MANAGER

Using NOTEPAD in Windows, I changed these values to match the COM PORT values I viewed in DEVICE MANAGER.

COM PORTS

When I opened the SP_MDT again, with the modified INI file -- this is what I saw.  Carefully observe the settings PLEASE.

FILE SP_MDT

Then I clicked START ALL and just as in the VIDEOS where they show how easy everything SHOULD GO...  the new FIRMWARE began loading into my GOME_2016G68A phone.

 

GOME_2016G68A

Files I downloaded and used can be found HERE.  I did not include the ROM file since it is easily available on the NEEDROM website.

The video that Coolicool linked me to explaining the update process can be found HERE

The files that Coolicool linked me to for performing the FIRMWARE upgrade can be found HERE

Please let me know if you found this helpful or you discovered mistakes!

By the way, I AM NOT an expert.  I was a frustrated buyer trying to solve a problem.  Most likely, I will not be able to explain technical issues.  I can only tell you what I did to make the FIRMWARE update work for me !!

CLICK HERE TO EMAIL ME

HERE IS NOTHER TUTORIAL ABOUT HOW TO INSTALL THE DRIVERS ON THE XDA DEVELOPERS' WEBSITE.  CLICK ON LOGO.  PLEASE NOTE THEIR COMMENT ABOUT INSTALLING THE DRIVERS BUT REMOVING THE DEVICE.  I KNOW THAT SOUNDS COUNTER-INTUITIVE, BUT READ THE WHOLE POST FIRST.

XDA DEVELOPERS

CLICK ON LOGO

ANOTHER GOOD TUTORIAL

TECH-PROLONGED

CLICK HERE TO EMAIL ME