FP4 Device corrupted and won't boot in locked mode after fresh /e/OS install

I suppose you’ve seen that currently the only “solution” seems to be to send the device back and get it repaired for about 30€:

So I just bought an FP4 and did what I did on other phones countless times before:

  1. Boot FPOS, unlock OEM unlocking
  2. Boot fastboot and unlock the bootloader (normal and critical)
  3. Flash /e/OS following their guide
  4. Close the bootloader
    Then I got the screen everybody else was complaining about (system corrupted and so on). I assumed that I had done something wrong, so I flashed FPOS again which worked perfectly. Then, powering down again I flashed /e/OS again, this time not locking the bootloader.
    It booted up like a charm, so I took a look at all the features. Then, to finish it I put it in to fastboot again and locked the bootloader. Now the phone won’t boot again (corrupted system), but aditionally I can’t unlock the bootloader in fastboot anymore, it just says locking is disabled. Could that be because I didn’t enable OEM in /e/OS?

So now I’m stuck with an unbootable phone with locked bootloader. The Fairphone support said they’d look into it, but meanwhile I should check for a solution on /e/.

Is there any way to get back into the system or open the bootloader?

I think the only solution currently is to contact Fairphone support about it, send the phone back and pay 30€ for a repair fee.

Same issue for me! I used this image: IMG-e-0.22-r-20220224165878-stable-FP4.zipand got stuck. Any way of solving except sending back?

Hi all,
i got the update e-0.23 release as OTA, having 5.March security patch level. With that release, i was able to lock the bootloader again!

For me this is solved now. Was just painful that the phone was wiped because of locking the bootloader.

Should be the same for @Jacky

2 Likes

Hi @Maximilian - Could you please elaborate a bit on your post? Did you simply update your phone to the e-0.23 release, after which you were able to lock bootloader again, without getting stuck in the bootloader loop? In other words, you did not erase you phone and installed e-0.23 afresh?

And what exactly was wiped when you locked the bootloader?

What about the others: @Jacky , Pferdli , yeoldegrove , andri , ulf-martinschmidt , MatteoV . Has any of you resolved the problem (without sending back the phone for repair)?

Hi all,

before my answer The whole process depends on your personal situation, so when you migrate to /e/ and which Android Version was installed before you start the process! You need to check the security patch level of the Android Version from Fairphone against the one provided by /e/.

In my case, i installed the latest Android version provided by Fairphone early March and migrated the FP4 only a few hours afterwards, which was not the best idea as we know today. The /e/ version i used, had therefore an older security patch level than the latest Fairphone standard Android release for the FP4. Now e-0-23 was provided with an updated Android security patch level and therefore i was able to lock the bootloader again.

So it was like that

  • 4.March i got my FP4 as standard Fairphone modell
  • 6.March - installation of FP4 standard Android update => security patch level Feb 22
  • 6.March - now I migrated to /e/, using 0-21 => security patch level is old, most likely Jan 22
    => boot loop when locking the bootloader
  • Late March - install e-0-22 = security ptach level still Jan 22 => still too old
  • 21.Apr - install OTA update e-0-23, having March security patches
    => now i tried and was successful, locking the bootloader

I installed the 0-23 as normal OTA, NOT a fresh install! Just with that update nothing was deleted oir wiped!
Afterwards i booted into fastboot again and locked the bootloader. Because of that locking of the bootloader the phone got wiped.

I hope that explains the process.

4 Likes

Thanks a lot @Maximilian . This exactly explains what I needed.
It looks like I’m in the same situation as you. I’m currently using e-0.21, with the critical section still unlocked (otherwise I’m stuck in the bootloader loop). I’m about to install e-0.23 OTA. According to your post, I should be able to lock the critical section without getting stuck in the bootloader loop. Fingers crossed!

For the information of others: I also found this related conversation on the fairphone forum:

1 Like

Very informative link,
Thank you

Also compare the build date with @Maximilian, there could have existed many 0.21 builds, and some may have been removed from download

Just one more point here. I am very much sure, i did the fastboot flashing lock_critical even with the wrong security patch level. In this case, i got a WARNING only, but I could resume boot process.
Only when i did the fastboot flashing lock i was stuck in the boot loop. Not sure if there is some second aspect to the whole story.
And as @piero outlined, there might be different builds as well. However i used the stable build, provided via the install page: /e/ image ROM download

I’m also sure that fastboot flashing lock might create the corrupted device and not the command fastboot flashing lock_critical.
If you want to be sure then install the latest version, start the system and check that “OEM unlock” is enabled in developer settings. If it is then there’s imho no risk that you can brick your FP4.

Oh damn, I should have read it earlier. I have the same problem. Let’s see what the support says to me.

Regards Sandro

Lock critical causes the same error. However, if I do lock only the device is functional

Hi,
I’ve encountered the same f… issue and had a 30 minutes panic, I have to admit.
Now, I’ve been able to get out of this loop by reinstalling /e/OS not from the easy installer (it does not detect the phone anymore) but via command line. It worked perfectly and I’m back with my re-freshly installed /e/OS 1.14
sigh!

1 Like

just flashed IMG-e-1.16-t-20231018342574-dev-FP4 ; archive integrity was tested OK

fastboot flashing lock_critical works

fastboot flashing lock causes a bootloader loop, regardless of critical_lock state.

FPOS was FP4.TP1X.C.079

Hi @engrenage welcome to the /e/ forum.

Please can you double check if you have met the Security Patch Level requirement mentioned in the install instructions https://doc.e.foundation/devices/FP4/install

Caution: The FP4 comes with an anti-rollback feature. Google Android anti-roll back feature is supposedly a way to ensure you are running the latest software version, including the latest security patches.
.
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. Click on Details below for detailed information

In my quick search I see https://support.fairphone.com/hc/en-us/articles/4405858220945-Fairphone-4-OS-Release-Notes, Security Patch Level: 5th October 2023 while https://gitlab.e.foundation/e/os/releases/-/releases This /e/OS v1.16 includes the Android security patches available until September.

cool, thanks for the info.

good thing the phone is not actually bricked (a reason I thought the security patch level was not the issue ; I figured a build from late October would include a patch from earlier on, guess I was wrong)

When can I expect security patch from 2023-10-05 to be available in /e/ ?

Very glad to hear you have not got a “bricked” situation. :slight_smile:

In the weekly update Week 45, Development and Testing Updates we see

v1.17
Status: Testing in progress
ETA: Mid November :crossed_fingers:

There will be a “fresh” weekly update on Monday(s).

very glad you could answer so quickly!

for the record, meanwhile I also tried IMG-e-1.16-s-20231019342893-dev-FP4.zip (I noticed later it was not to be confused with images available on https://images.ecloud.global/stable/FP4/)

image booted fine, after locking AND unlocking I could not get out of the loop. flashed previously tried T version, boots OK, leaving bootloader unlocked for now.

thanks!

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