E-3.2-a15-20251024540112-community-a52sxq - where to find the correct vbmeta file?

/e/OS Devices Samsung
1

I was trying to install e/os/ 3.2 on a Samsung Galaxy A52s following the instructions.
In the download the vbmeta file was missing.
So I tried to proceed without the vbmeta file but that didn’t work.

After that I’ve downloaded the latest vbmeta file proceding the datestamp from recovery-IMG-e-3.2-a15-20251024540112-community-a52sxq.zip from LineageOS Downloads because there was no exact match.
That did not work out.

At this moment when the phone is in download mode, it says:

partition vbmeta
Reason avb_slot_verify.c:741: ERROR: vbmeta Public key used to sign data rejected.

avb_slot_verify.c:741: ERROR: vbmeta Public key used to sign data rejected.

CUSTOM vbmeta

VBMETA : No sign info

Now I need to find the matching vbmeta-file and start over againg. Can anybody point out for me what is the correct file?

2

I do not know this build but from the install page Install /e/OS on a Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G - “a52sxq” I see

Extract the contents of the /e/OS build zip file.

So this is not simply saying “unzip the recovery-IMG-e-3.2-a15-20251024540112-community-a52sxq.zip” (where the other secondary files are found).

You might try this [Walkthrough] Extract eRecovery and boot images using payload-dumper-go where you are running payload-dumper-go on the full ROM, e-3.2-a15-20251024540112-community-a52sxq.zip.

3

Thanks, I will try that.

4

Unfortunately there is no payload.bin in the zip-file to extract.

It’s content is more like in the samsung s9 starlte-part.

These are the image files:

  • boot.img (100,7 MB)
  • dtbo.img (25,2 MB)
  • recovery.img (81,8 MB)
  • vendor_boot.img (100,7 MB)
  • unsparse_super_empty.img (4,6 kB)

So, compared to the latest Lineage builds it’s missing the vbmeta.img. Maybe for a good reason but I have destroyed the one on my A52s, if it had any.

Can I take it from somewhere or borrow it from another A52s? (I’ve got two of them.)

5

I noticed that you had asked here Samsung - Galaxy A52s 5G - a52sxq - Documentation Suggestions already but did you read the whole thread? There have been cases where vbmeta.img is not required.

6

I’ve tried it without the vbmeta part at first but that made Odin crash.

After that, I took the vbmeta from the Lineage build since that was suggested too somewhere in the topic.

7

That seems odd … did you investigate further … is it the case that you have to have the “correct” version of Odin for this device.

8

The Odin version is the one from the guide (Odin3 v3.13.1). I used it before on another A52s to put Lineage OS on it.

It then had some quirks to, like that I had to extract the Odin installation files over and over again because it would run alright only just ones, every time.

So I wasn’t surprised that it wasn’t stable this time, but I’m confident that it is the right version.

9

You don’t have to extract the files over and over just extract them to a folder in the Odin directory.

It only boots to the recovery once and if you are unsuccessful you have to reinstall the recovery file again but you can keep the boot files and the zip file in the same directory if I recall correct. It is tricky to install on she Samsung’s but it can be done. Also make sure to read the onscreen instruction on the device and do what they ask. The last Samsung tablet I loaded the instruction were off slightly.

10

Use Odin 3.14.4,
launch it as administrator (right-click)

11

Jou are perfectly right about that. After force powering it off, I can’t seem to get it to recovery mode.
I guess that you don’t have to press Home if your phone doesn’t has it. Just Volume up + Power.
After powering on the phone doesn’t show the blue line. It just boots to download mode or Android.

I will try again in different ways. Or maybe I will try the other phone first.

12

So, here is a little update. I’ve been trying a few things:

  • I can boot to the Samsung recovery mode. But this is easier because I can turn off the phone and don’t have to switch between Volume down + Power and Volume up + Power.
  • I can boot to recovery mode of Lineage OS if I follow their procedure and use their recovery image file.
  • I can not boot to recovery mode with the provided recovery image file for eOS. Both 3.2 and 3.1.4 versions have I been trying.

This leads for me to a few questions:

  • Can I flash eOS over LOS or only the vendors Android version?
  • Can I use LOS recovery to sideload eOS to the device?
13

Yes if it is based on android 15 or older

Of course, yes ! . .

14

Great, then we’re getting there. :grinning_face:

15

So, unfortunately sideloading eOS with the recovery image from Lineage ended up in a few errors:

  • recovery: failed to verify whole file signature. (This one I could confirm to proceed anyway)
  • recovery: Signature verification failed
  • recovery: error: 21
  • recovery: Denying OTA because it’s SPL downgrade
  • Installation completed with status 1
  • Installation aborted

After that, I tried Lineage 22.2 and this installed without errors.

On the other phone where I didn’t try to flash a vbmeta file from LOS, it boots to the Samsung download environment after flashing the recovery.tar using Odin.

It states:

Partition recovery

Reason avb_slot_verify.c:296: ERROR: recovery: Hash of data does not match digest in descriptor.[2nd]

Calculated hash of (recovery) : 58623ABA38, (VEMETA) : 68DCBA3653

SAMSUNG recovery, A528BXXSBGYI3, 101124189R

VBMETA A528BXXSBGYI3, 101124172R

I guess it ends here for the moment. Maybe better wait for another build or to try to sell and exchange the Samsung for a Pixel or other officially supported phone.

16

can you try using TWRP ?
or
can you try to install recovery-e using TWRP ?

because your previously installed LOS SPL is newer than /e/OS ?

.

there were success here :
Samsung - Galaxy A52s 5G - a52sxq - Documentation Suggestions

17

Yes, jou might be right that LOS SPL is newer than the one of e/OS/ so I will try again when 3.3 is available.

TWRP sounds interesting. This is new for me, I will dig in to it next week.

18

You also can reinstall SamsungOS as a sane base, that will reset SPL date

19

Good to know, thanks!

20

Succes!! :star_struck:

TWRP did the trick. I needed to combine several guides to achieve this but in the end the relieving e-logo appeared and now I have e/OS/ 3.2 on the A52s!

Because I was curious about the update process, I flashed 3.1.4 and did a system update from ‘settings’. This went well, although this was handled by TWRP, which looks not as slick as on an ‘Official’ e/OS/ device but I don’t care so much about this. Just that anyone reading this, knows.

If someone is interested, I might write it all down for future attempts.

1 Like