/e/os web installer cannot connect to Fairphone 3 in Fastboot mode

Hello everyone,

I got a used Fairphone 3 a couple of days ago and wanted to install e os.

I tried the web installer on a windows and a linux PC. Everything was fine until after it downloaded the OS. However, when i get to the step “Bootloader-Connection”, when the installer restarts the phone in fastboot mode, i cannot connect it anymore.
I read that it might be driver issues, but i cannot update them manually on the windows PC, because it is my work PC and those options are managed by our administrative team.
The fastboot menu give me the info that secure boot is disabled and device state is locked.

I found some similar questions on this forum, but most of them are really old or not helping in my situation.

Any ideas what to do?

Regain your privacy! Adopt /e/OS the deGoogled mobile OS and online servicesphone

Please confirm if it is a driver issue. Windows will likely install a general purpose driver not the Universal driver required. Connect the phone to Windows PC, open Device manager, check that the phone is showing OK, that is not as :warning: Problem device.

Now switch the phone to fastboot mode and perform the same check with Device manager. If showing :warning: usually you would now allow Update manager to open and to provide the required driver.

If the PC is crippled such that the :warning: cannot be resolved you will need to use a different PC.

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Using your work computer to do this would imply this is a work-related activity, so the administrative team would be happy to assist you, I guess.

In case it’s not work-related please use a private computer and be happy if the administrative team is not on your tail for what you are even doing :wink: .

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I am allowed to use my work laptop for private stuff, they won’t chase me for it or something :smiley:

Where is the problem then with updating drivers? Cause you need more than one driver for it on windows

I tried on my private arch linux PC, too. What drivers do i need there?

Drivers are not a Linux thing. [1]

Did you use my suggestion to satisfy yourself that the lack of Driver created :warning: Problem device and that it really was a Drivers problem ?

Maybe there is a bug in /e/OS installer, idk, but there are several reports like this, /e/OS installer is new and I have not seen this happen myself. /e/OS installer seems not to give a good clue what is wrong; I would be guessing if I made suggestions.

Please feel free to send images or any further clues.

[1] Elsewhere I made this comment

If you follow that thread, you will see the marked solution where I recommended the manual method. fp3 is installed by a script so is not so hard Install /e/OS on a Fairphone FP3/3+ - “FP3”.

There is also this guide [HOW-TO] Flash /e/-OS on Fairphone 3 using Debian based GNU/Linux, quite old but updated.

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Thank you, manually installing worked.
I needed sudo rights for the commands, i assume that might have been the problem with the browser-solution. I do not have Brave in admin mode :smiley:

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For others trying to fix /e/OS Installer, the need for sudo with platform-tools can be fixed with

sudo usermod -aG plugdev $LOGNAME

This Android studio page under the heading

Set up your system to detect your device.

describes providing plugdev and udev. It may be a requirement for /e/OS Installer as the reported problem in these early days is “it cannot connect it anymore”.

Many of those who test /e/OS Installer will have this on their machine already so the issue may not appear to testers.

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