My Device: Google Pixel 6 oriole. Healthy.
Running: Google Android 14 AP2A.240605.024 ( June 2024 update )
My Goal: To install /e/os - Either 2.1 T with Android 13… Or… first /e/os version with Android 14.
Recent problems with Pixel Factory Resets, many references to the ‘anti-rollback’ barrier
and failed attempts to downgrade from 13 to 12, make me pause…
I’m suspicious about 14 to 13; I’m convinced never to try 13 to 12.
I may not be alone in this quandary.
So.
? - Is it known to be safe to downgrade Android 14 June '24 → Android 13 Latest Public Build in order to then install /e/os 2.1 T?
I would use Android Flash Tool in Chrome.
And I'd be happy to follow Google's advice (link below) to flash both a and b slots after successfully booting into the first-flashed slot.
? - Or, am I better to wait, patiently, and use Google Android 14 or LineageOS 21, until /e/os ships with Android 14 and specifies that Android 14 firmware must be there pre-install?
Cheers,
KJU
(Also, ‘9to5google’ has optimistic videos about downgrading Android on Pixels.)
You have to select other version or something. Also must use Edge or Chrome browser. I would also not run private mode in that session. Will probably install Pixel driver first.
Agree on everything what Jets wrote. One addition only, use patch level older than June. Just to be safe.
On that note
Using a custom ROM has always a bit of a downside, same with using /e/OS, depends on your whole approach towards it. Something you have to be sure about it.
If you want a more hassle free life in regards to upgrades then a Murena phone would be better. Even there was once with the FP3 and unfortunate situation.
My experiences have been very good with Android Flash Tool, and with both LineageOS and /e/os installation instructions. So I feel confident I could succeed right now with LineageOS 21.
I’m not at all keen on stock Google Android. Where’s the fun in that? For me, /e/os is the most interesting choice.
My best hope is that somebody will tell me they have a Pixel 6 happily running /e/os now, after they downgraded from Android 14 (with the 240605 update) to the required Android 13.
I will pick the correct stock image to use (the global variant.) And even adb and fastboot have been good to me so far. I’m hopeful but not wanting to hit a brick… wall.
The doubts I have are based on the reports about bricking with Factory Reset in Settings, and my lack of a clear understanding of Anti-Rollback and its consequences.
I’ve never encountered anti-rollback protection on Google Pixel devices, even though I’ve flashed all devices from Pixel 2 to 8 multiple times. For me, this meant that I could switch between stock firmware 14 and 13 at any time when the bootloader was unlocked. Google Pixel devices are actually completely uncomplicated. The situation is different with Samsung or Xiaomi devices, for example.
The fastboot commands in Google stock firmware flash-all.bat or flash-all.sh ensure that both system partitions (A/B) are written with one and the same stock firmware version.
To test, simply open the file flash-all.bat or flash-all.sh with an editor tool. There you will not find any hint as for example with Xiaomi:
set CURRENT_ANTI_VER=2
for /f "tokens=2 delims=: " %%i in (‘fastboot %* getvar rollback_ver 2^>^&1 ^| findstr /r /c:“rollback_ver:”’) do (set version=%%i)
if [%version%] EQU set version=0
if %version% GTR %CURRENT_ANTI_VER% ( @echo “error : current device antirollback version is greater than this package”
exit /B 1
)
An alternative would be to install the Android 14 build of LineageOS for microG (which already exiata, and is available here, and use that until an Android 14of /eOS is available.
Initially, my Pixel 6 was running Google Android 14, auto-updated to July 2024
Used Google’s Android Flash Tool to install latest stock Android 13 (September 2023)
Booted this several times, and tested phone (4G calling enabled) and 5G mobile data
Successfully followed /e/os install instructions for Pixel 6 oriole, version 2.1
Booted this several times and checked phone & mobile data as above
All appears to be well.
About slots and bootloaders, I don’t understand completely, but I’ll trust that each slot has a bootable version, and I’m not intending to mess with them. Glad to have /e/os running now!