Thank you, Piero. I’m truly sorry I didn’t figure it out myself—I actually came across that post, but I didn’t realize at first glance that it applied to my situation. My apologies for the trivial request.
Just tried /e/OS first time on an second-hand OnePlus Nord. It looked so awesome I wanted to install it on my Fairphone 4. However, on the installation instruction page ( Install /e/OS on a Fairphone FP4 - “FP4” ) I was confused by these two things:
After the “Requirements” section there’s a “Caution” box which basically warns about the rollback protection on the FP4. The instructions direct you to check the security patch level by going to
Settings > About Phone > Android Version > Android Security Patch Level
I just have “Android security update” and “Vendor security patch level” there. So it probably should be “Vendor security patch level” that I have to check. Right?
Another thing: A little further down, the instructions list values which trigger anti-rollback features on FP4. One of them says that:
“Rollback protection errors are IGNORED when the bootloader is UNLOCKED.”
My FP4 has an unlocked bootloader. Does that mean I don’t have to care about the security patch level?
There is information about downloading some “platform tools” but no information how to handle it to run followed commands (install Android Studio or whatever).
There are no commands used for verification that bootloader is lockable before making of locking commands.
As normal user, I don’t want to follow all the manual installation
Please, could you add more information how to relock bootloader?
From this video, it’s clear what to do next with platform tools, so I’ve locked FP4 thanks to that…youtu.be/tLltWPo0w9g?si=0y6hj3iPy1Qr1IHk&t=93
(In my opinion, unlocked bootloader devalues mobile phone to toy for kids. It disables a lot of banking and security sensitive apps from working. Personally, I don’t understand why relocking is not integral part of web installer???)
So the page Install /e/OS on a Fairphone FP4 - “FP4” has this section: Unlocking the bootloader
1/ It is unclear if that has to be done a first time at that moment or not. Please be clear in instructions.
2/ But then the icing on the cake: when under ’ Installing /e/OS" the time is there to do exactly that: the instructions don’t point to the ‘Unlocking the bootloader’ section and even use another (albeit similar) method…
Why make things harder than necessary and confusing?
PS: is this the way to signal mistakes in the installation instructions? If not, please tell me how.
Maybe place " Please share your experience , suggest tips or changes to this install guide documentation by visiting the FP4 specific [topic on our community forum]" at the start. I generally want to report a tip or change while I am going through the document and don’t save them until I finished. I now started to post in wrong forum.
I think a general section at the beginning could be good:
help, issues and troubles → [/e/OS Devices] [Fairphone]
tips and changes to the doc → [eOSWiki][Documentation Suggestions]
The requirements section contains “Enable USB debugging on your device. You can find the instructions here”. Why is this in the requirements section?
Just make it part of the overall process in the Bootloader unlocking section.
“Locking the Bootloader” section. After step 2 the device rebooted in the (e/)OS. So step 3 should be preceded with again getting into fastboot mode before doing the command.
Or change step 3 to something like: repeat the above process but now with command fastboot flashing lock
I have learned that bootloader mode = fastboot mode.
1/ stick with one term
2/ I suggest preferring ‘fastboot mode’ (and maybe add ‘sometimes called bootloader mode’ the first time fastboot as term is used). Why? a/fastboot is what the user will see on their phone screen b/bootloader mode can be confused with locked/unlocked bootloader which are two distinct things.
" Warning: Running the below commands will factory reset your device and wipe all data."
For me that was confusing:
1/factory made me think locking would revert the phone to stock FP OS (you might think that is obviously impossible, but to a simple user not so: e.g. like a windows machine maybe the original OS is still on some part of the phone).
2/ “wipe all data” added to the misunderstanding as to me that would include the (e/)OS. So better ‘user data’.
Anti-roll back - section
It is a good explanation but for the fact that it gives the interpretation (to me at least) that it is a check that is performed during installation (*).
‘If you try installing …’
‘Rollback protection errors trigger if you install ’
’ … the currently installed version, but only if the bootloader is LOCKED.’ (iso ‘when the bootloader …’
also in the examples: never is it stated that this checked is performed at the time of locking.
So with the mindset that the check was performed during the installation I was confused why this was repeated in the locking section. And how would the phone remember the SPL of the previous OS if it is completely replaced by e/OS? It was confusing. I know now how it works but a clearer explanation would be helpful.
For example: "If you try LOCKING (AT THE END OF THE INSTALLATION) a version of /e/OS based on a security patch that is older than the one THAT WAS on your device PREVIOUSLY (RETAINED IN HARDWARE MEMORY AS THE ROLLBACK INDEX AND ONLY UPDATED WHEN YOU LOCK THE PHONE), you will brick your device. "
etc
(instead of "If you try installing a version of /e/OS based on a security patch that is older than the one on your device, you will brick your device. ")
This understanding can be relevant when having different attempts at installing for example the outcome of Stock OS → e/OS → same stock OS is completely dependent if in between the phone was locked. If not: no problem. If so: brick.
(*)
one can argue if the locking part is part if the ‘installation’ but as the ‘Locking the Bootloader’ sections starts with ‘After you have completed the installation’ it is clearly not as such defined in the documentation.
Thanks, aibd and piero! This thread was especially useful: 