Version 3.04 was developed before Microsoft tightened USB driver policies. On Windows 8.1, a “feature” called would often grab the preloader interface before SP Flash Tool could claim it. The workaround was as bizarre as it was effective:
For technicians repairing 2013–2016 MediaTek devices—the Zopos, the THLs, the original Xiaomi Redmi Notes—this tool is indispensable. Keep a dedicated Windows 7 laptop with v3.04 and the libusb driver set. Treat it like a vintage soldering station: essential for legacy work, useless for new production. flash tool 3.04 win