…Enter suggestions to improve documentation in this category. Do not raise bugs or issues here…
It seems the Recovery Files for the Pixel 6a (T Build) are missing. Only the Main System Build is linked behind the DEV Build link.
Hi,
I just tried to side load (last step) the recovery-IMG-e-1.17-t-20231111351094-dev-bluejay.zip but got a message that "recovery footer is wrong’ - ‘signature verification failed’.
The install fails after that… Any help would be much appreciated.
Although I am a PC power user, I am a beginner to /e/ and the Pixel 6a documentation was not precise enough for me. I made a more precise documentation with some screenshots. It is based on the current documentation.
Install /e/OS on a Google Pixel 6a - “bluejay”
The instructions in this guide will assist you to install /e/OS on your bluejay. Please read through the instructions at least once before actually following them, so as to avoid any problems later.
It is important that you know that downgrading Smartphones on OS versions greater than the /e/OS OS version you plan to install, can cause instability or at worst brick some devices. We recommend that you check your current OS version, before attempting the installation.
It is advisable to flash your device only if you know what you are doing and are ok taking the associated risk. All /e/OS builds are provided as best effort, without any guarantee. The /e/OS project and its project members deny any and all responsibility about the consequences of using /e/OS software and or /e/OS services.
Requirements
• If required take a backup of all important data from your phone on an external storage device before proceeding.
• Do not take a backup on the same device as some of these actions will format the device and delete the backup.
• Ensure your phone is charged more than 50%
• Check that adb and fastboot are enabled on your PC. If not you can find the setup instructions here
• Download all the files and images mentioned in the download section below before starting the installation
• Make sure you have a working data cable to connect your device to the PC. There are cables which are only for charging and do not transfer data.
• Enable USB debugging on your device. You can find the instructions here
• Make sure that your model is listed in the Smartphone Selector. Check the model supported. Where available, information on the model supported should show as a pop-up when you hover the cursor on the Device name. The model number supported should be the exact same.
• Boot your device with the stock OS at least once and check every functionality.
Warning: Make sure that you can send and receive SMS and place and receive calls (also via WiFi and LTE, if available), otherwise it will not work on /e/OS as well. Additionally, some devices require that VoLTE/VoWiFi be utilized once on stock to provision IMS.
Why aren’t those options available later? What means „make sure“ in this context? Do I have to send one SMS and make one call? Or do I just to insert a SIM card?
Please share your experience , suggest tips or changes to this install guide documentation by visiting the Pixel 6a specific topic on our community forum.
To report issues in /e/OS please refer this guide
Downloads for bluejay
Tip: Before installing /e/OS on the Google Pixel 6a bluejay for the first time, install the latest stock OS version 13 build on the device
Try the /e/OS Recovery (limited functionality). The way without the recovery is not explained in this document.
• /e/OS build T dev and /e/OS Recovery for dev build can be both downloaded here. The link in brackets is the recovery addon.
(The previous two links had the same destination. That was missunderstanding so I exchanged them with the one only link)
To understand the difference between /e/OS builds check this guide (the recovery isn’t explained here)
Recovery: Additional images that you can install. This enables future update possibility without a PC and USB connection.
Warning: Please note some of the above links can lead to external sites
• Before following these instructions please ensure that the device is on the latest Android 13 firmware.
Unlocking the bootloader
Tip: The steps given below only need to be run once per device.
Warning: Unlocking the bootloader will erase all data on your device! Before proceeding, ensure the data you would like to retain is backed up to your PC and/or an online drive
Warning: Some vendors/manufacturers prevent the bootloader from being unlocked. Depending on where your device was acquired you may or may not be able to unlock the bootloader. To verify if your device is compatible please check the devices list.
- Switch on phone, do the first time configuration, enter PIN…., so that you can enter the google android phone settings (swipe 2 times from the bottom to the top and choose settings)
- Enable OEM unlock in the Developer options under device Settings, if present.
- Connect your device to your PC via USB.
- On the computer, open a command prompt (on Windows) or terminal (on Linux or macOS) window, and type:
- adb devices
now a list of devices attached is reported, with a ID-number and either „unauthorized“ or „device“.
In case of „device“ you can proceed.
In case of „unauthorized“, you have to agree a small menu on the phone that the connection is thrusty (or similar). In some cases the window does not automatically appear. In my case it appeared as I returned to the main screen by swiping 1 times from the bottom to up. Then the small menu appeared.
6. adb reboot bootloader
The device is in fastboot mode when a text only screen appears one the mobile phone with „Fastboot Mode“ painted in red. Don’t press any side keys (don’t start the phone, no volume keys pressing etc.).
Alternatively to step 6, you can also boot into fastboot mode via a key combination (it didn’t work for me although):
o With the device powered off
o hold Volume Down + Power
7. Once the device is in fastboot mode („Fastboot Mode“ in red font displayed on the mobile phone’s display), verify your PC finds it by typing:
8. fastboot devices
Now in the CMD window it reports an ID and followed by „fastboot“. In case nothing is reported in the CMD window (just nothing happens), you have to update the Android USB driver (Windows, that I downoladed here: https://dl.google.com/android/repository/usb_driver_r13-windows.zip). It is installed in the Windows device manager, by klicking on „USB-Devices“ and then by right clicking on „Pixel 6a“. Then install the driver, and choose the 2nd Option to have a driver from the disk.
Tip: If you see no permissions fastboot while on Linux or macOS, try running fastboot as root.
9. Now type the following command to unlock the bootloader:
10. fastboot flashing unlock
11. If the device doesn’t automatically reboot, reboot it. It should now be unlocked.
12. Since the device resets completely, you will need to re-enable USB debugging to continue.
Flashing additional partitions
Warning: This platform requires additional partitions to be flashed for recovery to work properly.The steps to flash the partitions are given below
Tip: In case the partition files are not available in the /e/OS recovery zip, users flashing the Android 13 or /e/OS T build, can try and download them from the LineageOS wiki install page specific to this device.
- First unzip the /e/OS Recovery file linked in the section marked Downloads for bluejay . The following files would show up in the location where you unzipped the contents of the eRecovery zip file
o boot.img
o dtbo.img - In case you still are in the fastboot mode you do not need a reboot (do I need a reboot here?). Next we manually reboot into bootloader (this ist he fastboot mode (am I right, at least it worked for me)) or download mode (how can I entert he download mode?)
o With the device powered off
o hold Volume Down + Power
o If you do not enter the fastboot mode with this, make it by typing „adb reboot bootloader“ and check „adb devices“ and „fastboot devices“ again. - Flash the downloaded image files to your device by typing (replace <…> with the actual filenames):
- fastboot flash boot .img
- fastboot flash dtbo .img
Installing a custom recovery using fastboot
- Connect your device to your PC via USB.
- On the computer, open a command prompt (on Windows) or terminal (on Linux or macOS) window, and type:
- adb reboot bootloader
- Once the device is in fastboot mode, verify your PC finds it by typing:
- fastboot devices
- Flash a recovery image onto your device
- fastboot flash vendor_boot recoveryfilename.img
Replace the recoveryfilename with the name of the recovery image you downloaded in the previous section - Do not restart the phone. I did it and then Googles Android with a green „G“ launched again after several minutes of a process bar on the mobile phone.
- After flashing, do not restart. Manually reboot into recovery mode like this: While the mobile phone is still in the „Fastboot Mode“, toggle options with Volume Up/Down until you see „Recovery Mode“ on the screen and then press the Power button to select the recovery mode.
- Now the /e/os logo shows up with 4 options. Reboot system now, apply update, factory reset, advanced.
this didn’t work for me:
• With the device powered off
• hold Volume Down + Power and choose Recovery Mode.
Tip: Outdated fastboot releases dropped legacy A/B support, so it might attempt to flash to boot__a / boot__b rather than boot_a / boot_b if you try to flash boot. In this case, you must update fastboot to a release newer than or equal to 31.0.2. Alternatively, you can manually specify which slot to flash to based on what slot fastboot failed to flash to. For example, if fastboot fails to flash to boot__a, you must flash to boot_a.
Steps to install /e/OS using /e/OS recovery
Tip: Use the volume keys to navigate and power key to select
Tip: If your PC is unable to detect your device in adb (CMD Window „adb devices“ shows „unauthorized“.)
on the mobile phone, in the /e/OS recovery main screen tap Advanced » Enable adb. Then, „adb devices“ returns „recovery“.
On /e/OS Recovery Main Screen:
- Don’t press the power button yet.
- Select Factory reset with Volume up/down. Press the power button to confirm.
- Select Format data / Factory reset option
- Next screen will display a warning that this action cannot be undone
- Select Format data to proceed or Cancel if you want to go back
- If you selected Format data …the format process will complete
Tip: You will see text in small font on the lower left side of the screen mentioning format progress
The small font text would be similar to this
– Wiping data…
Formatting /data…
Formatting /metadata…
Wiping Titan M…
Data wipe complete. - Display will now return to the Factory Reset screen
Tip: Use the volume up key to choose the arrow at the top to go back to main screen
In /e/OS Recovery main screen: - Select Apply Update and in next screen Apply update from adb
- In the next screen, the device is now in sideload mode. Don’t choose „ADB Sideload“.
Note at this point the Cancel option is highlighted that does not mean you have canceled the action. The device is in adb sideload mode. - On your CMD screen, you can check to be in sideload mode
In case it is not reported „sideload“ but „recovery“ choose „ADB sideload on the phone screen.
11. On your PC type begin adb sideload. Type the below command in a console
adb sideload downloaded_file_name.zip
Replace downloaded_file_name.zip with the name of the /e/OS file you downloaded in the previous section
12. Press enter key on the keyboard to start the sideloading.
The screen will show the progress percentage…This might pause at 47%
13. Give it some time. The phone display now displays Step 1/2 and then Step 2/2. Then it asks the question: „To install additional packages, you need to reboot recovery first Do you want to reboot to recovery now?“
I typed „no“. The phone screen now displayed „Install completed with status 0“, In the PC console the installation is stuck on 47%. After pressing Enter following message was displayed:
This should be ok. You can continue on the next step number in this manual.
If you accidently chose „yes“, no matter, but you have to repeat some steps. The phone restarts in the e recovery mode. You will get this error in the PC console window
Repeat the steps starting at Factory Reset procedure mentioned above. Then the same thing happened as in step 13, but there was no need to press enter in the console to display this, it came automatically:
On the upper question I chose „yes“. Error:
- The PC console will now display Total xfer: 1.00xThe PC console never reaches more than 47% progress. That is ok.
- The phone screen will now display some text with a message similar to
Script succeeded result was [1.000000]
I only had the message
Install completed with status 0
This means that the install was successful. - Use the volume key to select the back arrow on the top left of the phone screen. This wasn’t necessary in my case.
- Go back to the main screen (in case you aren’t already there) and select Reboot system now
The reboot process may take 5 - 10 minutes. In my case it was less than 1 minute.
After a message that the bootloader is unlocked, the Google logo appears, then the e logo.
Success: Congratulations !! Your phone should now be booting into /e/OS !!
To find some troubleshooting tips… click here
•
Steps to install /e/OS without /e/OS recovery
Please add documenation here.
Please share your experience , suggest tips or changes to this install guide documentation by visiting the Pixel 6a specific topic on our community forum.
To report issues in /e/OS please refer this guide
This documentation “Install /e/OS on a Google Pixel 6a - “bluejay”” is a derivative of “install LineageOS on bluejay” by The LineageOS Project, used under CC BY.
/e/OS documentation
• /e/OS documentation
• helpdesk@murena.com
Welcome to /e/OS documentation! Download, install and compile /e/OS for your android smartphone | Main website | Community forums | Jobs
“Install /e/OS on a Google Pixel 6a - “bluejay”” is licensed under CC BY SA by e Foundation 2018-2023.
1 Like
Thanks a lot for you post, it helped me. By the way it helped me understanding that the /e/ 1.19 did not work. I finally installed the 1.18 and then made the update…