Can't unlock critical partitions

[piero]

My bad.

@piero

what if you relock and then run unlock_ability ?

my bad… 1/1000

[kutlipiluk]

Not at all! On the contrary, I greatly appreciated your valuable advice. I learned a lot from it. I rather think that the firmware manufacturers should make sure that you don’t get into this situation in the first place. It should not be possible to replace all but the main partition and to leave the latter locked.

At the end of the day, I am quite happy that I got a computing and communication environment that makes me independent of the Silicon Valley moguls: Linux at home and /e/OS on the road. No apples, no googles anymore. This was worth the effort!

[Carl-OS]

Thanks for the swift feedback!

Not sure about the many copy paste test - is that internationally?

And just to clarify: I was AREADY doing it exactly to the guidance of “A clear guide to install /e/OS on your Fairphone”, using “IMG-e-3.4-a15-20260114569178-official-FP6.zip [MD5 | SHA256] “ unzipped it, installed platform tools etc.

Problem is that I am getting this when following the guide:

user@Family:~/FP6/IMG-e-3.4-a15-20260114569178-official-FP6$ ./flash_FP6_factory.sh
INFO: You are using a Linux distribution.
INFO: Looking for connected device(s)…
INFO: One Fairphone 6 in fastboot mode found (serial number: 5e10101d).
Info: Your phone is in regular bootloader mode.
Error: Critical partitions are still locked.
Did you execute ‘fastboot flashing unlock_critical’?
Error: Your phone is not ready for flashing yet (see above), aborting…

user@Family:~/FP6/IMG-e-3.4-a15-20260114569178-official-FP6$

The checks I ran after that I described above.

user@Family:~/platform-tools$ fastboot flashing get_unlock_ability
(bootloader) get_unlock_ability: 0

[piero]

booting stockOS and re-enable Developer Options, USB debugging and allow OEM unlock…
must reset unlock_ability to 1 !

[Carl-OS]

Fully understand it about the “1” - but getting to the unlocking critical is the problem.

Today back to the computer ….. I followed your steps exactly:

1. StockOS reboot

2. proven settings:
   Developer Options, OEM Unlocking, USB debugging, USB = File Transfer (picture available ID20:59)

3. Power & -Vol → Fastboot Screen (red / whit font)

4. bird@Family:~$ fastboot devices
   5e10101d fastboot

5. bird@Family:~$ fastboot flashing unlock
   FAILED (remote: ’ Device already : unlocked!')
   fastboot: error: Command failed:

6. Power & +Vol → new screen (yellow/blue font with 11 Options, picture available ID18:46)

7. quick check if device is visible
   bird@Family:~$ fastboot devices
   bird@Family:~$
   ==>NO

8. select: “enter fastboot”

9. new screen (yellow/blue font with 4 Options, picture available ID18:54)

10. quick check if device is visible:
    bird@Family:~$ fastboot devices
    5e10101d fastboot
    bird@Family:~$

11. bird@Family:~$ fastboot flashing unlock_critical
    FAILED (remote: ‘Unrecognized command flashing unlock_critical’)
    fastboot: error: Command failed
    bird@Family:~$

Can you see the problem, what can I try next???

Getting slowly desperate … really appreciate HELP.

[aibd]

@Carl-OS

FP6 (with security update 05.06.2025)

Did you keep a screenshot of this?

Android SPL would likely be more recent if the phone was fairly recently purchased … I am thinking could this date be the Vendor Security patch level?

[Carl-OS]

Thanks for following up!

What I am refering to is under:

Settings—>Android Version—> Android Security Update

June 5, 2025

Is that not it?

[aibd]

@Carl-OS

Is that not it?

There are two dates, but not every manufacturer uses exact same terms.

I guess you got it right, but if you are in a position to double check there should be both a
Vendor SPL and
Android SPL

[piero]

@aibd

@Carl-OS

FP6 (with security update 05.06.2025)

please share ascreenshot or photo

like this one

[piero]

i have edited my previous post for better clarity :

@piero

Edit :

restore FairphoneOS How to manually install FairphoneOS on your Fairphone

• NEVER relock the bootloader
• Each time the phone reboot, re-enable Developer Options, USB debugging, and allow OEM
• Always check fastboot oem device-info and fastboot flashing get_unlock_ability before and after any unlock command attempt

install /e/OS [HOWTO] a Clear Guide to install “IMG-e-builds” when /e/ web installer fails

• Each time the phone reboot, re-enable Developer Options, USB debugging, and allow OEM
• Always check fastboot oem device-info and fastboot flashing get_unlock_ability before and after any unlock command attempt

[Carl-OS]

Is that ok?

[aibd]

This now seems (as you opened with) just like the OP.

What is clouded in both stories is what happened in the initial 3 stage unlock.

I won’t copy and paste the guide again but the unsuspecting user at first unlock has to

• apply the unlock code
• unlock and acknowledge
• unlock critical and react.

If these three lead to an error (or some unnoticed error) … that is the problem ideally it would be addressed by a support ticket at Fairphone before any further intervention.

[Carl-OS]

260218- This is my last try!

1. New Update for Stock OS installed:
   FP6.QREL.15.176.0
   SPL 05.12.2025

   

2. Reboot to StockOS all settings checked
   ==> OEM Locking enabled !

   

3. restart procedure: Power & Vol-Down → Fastboot Screen (red / white font)

   

4. check for communication:
   fastboot devices
   bird@Family:~/platform-tools$ fastboot devices
   5e10101d fastboot
   bird@Family:~/platform-tools$

5. bird@Family:~/platform-tools$ fastboot flashing unlock
   FAILED (remote: ’ Device already : unlocked!')
   fastboot: error: Command failed

6. Power then Vol-Up → new screen (yellow/blue font with 11 Options, picture available)

   
   

7. check communication

   bird@Family:~/platform-tools$ fastboot devices
   bird@Family:~/platform-tools$
   ==> no communication

8. select enter fastboot -->new screen (yellow/blue font with 4 Options, picture available)

9. bird@Family:~/platform-tools$ fastboot devices
   5e10101d fastboot
   bird@Family:~/platform-tools$

10. bird@Family:~/platform-tools$ fastboot oem device-info

                                              -->no response of system
    

11. restart of terminal window

12. bird@Family:~/platform-tools$ fastboot devices
    5e10101d fastboot
    ==> communication working!

13. bird@Family:~/platform-tools$ fastboot flashing unlock_Critical
    fastboot: usage: unknown ‘flashing’ command unlock_Critical

14. bird@Family:~/platform-tools$ fastboot flashing unlock_critical
    FAILED (remote: ‘Unrecognized command flashing unlock_critical’)
    fastboot: error: Command failed
    ==> command not working!

15. 3. bird@Family:~/platform-tools$ fastboot devices
       5e10101d fastboot
       bird@Family:~/platform-tools$
       ==> communication working!

So Update did not help.

Also I cannot really relate to the hints given….. The END

[piero]

@Carl-OS

==> OEM Locking enabled !

here you need to allow OEM Unlocking…

[piero]

recovery mode is uneeded !

[Carl-OS]

Really appreciate your continued support!

But this option is grayed out (meaning I cannot Change it) since:

1. OME unlocking happend

2. Bootloader was unlocked

Question:

–> should I restart over again?

–>What are the steps (any tips, references or could you give assistance)?

Calo-OS is in your dept

[piero]

@Carl-OS

–>What are the steps (any tips, references or could you give assistance)?

@piero

• Each time the phone reboot, re-enable Developer Options, USB debugging, and allow OEM
• Always check fastboot oem device-info and fastboot flashing get_unlock_ability before and after any unlock command attempt

@Carl-OS

But this option is grayed out (meaning I cannot Change it)

it is mandatory to enable

[HOWTO] a Clear Guide to install "IMG-e-builds" when /e/ web installer fails

. because even well illustrated, the “web-installer” often don’t work, and because the install instructions provided by /e/ can be imbuvable for some new users and can lead to errors. here is a safe guide to install /e/OS . . we take the Fairphone 6 as example, but it is the same logical and quite the same process for all the devices that have : only "IMG-e-xxxxxxxxxxx.zip" file on their download page, no "recovery-e-xxxxxxxxxx.img" file on their download page, no "recovery-IMG-e-…

[Carl-OS]

could you share details how you “eventually managed to overcome” the “Locking of critical partitions”?

[kutlipiluk]

I have sent it in and got it unlocked. See my post three weeks ago. It has cost me 60 €, and - despite my explicit requirement to not reinstall it - I got Android back. I finally managed to replace it with /e/OS, using the Web installer. I even managed to relock the critical partitions.

This was somewhat troublesome, but the result is ok. I am quite happy with the device. All essential features are there.

[Carl-OS]

OK - I thought you sent it in because it was bricked, then when it came back you “managed to overcome” –> does that mean you did not experience the “critical_unlock” issue when you installed e/OS with the WEB-installer on your de-bricked device?