[HOWTO] an Unified Install Guide Project for /e/

[piero]

une version en français est disponible

(1) Download an /e/OS build
(2) Download recovery-e or TWRP
(3) install the appropriate Flashing Tools
(4) Check the communication between the PC and your smartphone
(5) allow “Non Vendor OS” to be installed on the device
(6) Unlock the Bootloader
(7) Flash a custom recovery manager on your device

(8) install /e/ from your computer, using the “adb sideload” method
or
(9) Install /e/ without computer using the “Storage Device” method
(10) post installation settings - root -
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Please allways refer to your device specific official install documentation in parallelle,
and compare it with the various detailed illustrations of this guide into the installation process for
a “Custom android OS”, on any supported device !

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an Unified Install Guide Project

is collaborative and open, you can help !
if you anyone, know some "device specific" details or additionals steps like in the documentation suggestions categorie
Please check if it is notified here, if not, feel free to add it properly, (Original Post are editable) or ask us to edit !
@piero (focused on Samsung), @aibd and more…

( : the non written under plan priorities could be : )

• 1. presentation of the steps,
     on the computer, on the device

• 2. type exceptions
     old school device, a only device, a/b devices

• 3. brand exceptions instructions

• 4. common instructions

• 5. device specific steps

• 6. platform specific instructions

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Mission :

Install /e/OS into the ROM of your compatible device

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• from a Terminal on the Computer, using the adb sideload recommended method
  or
• from TWRP on the Device, using the SDcard or internal storage preferred method

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Prerequisites:

• an Android device,
  compatible to become a smart /e/ phone or an /e/ Tab, with more than 50% of battery charge.
  Running latest relative to /e/ based version of the stock vendor firmware or the latest Stock Vendor Firmware available. upgraded and updated.
  Or already running a Custom android OS ( or simply a custom recovery )
  With complete backup of important data on a PC or an external drive or source.
  Without PIN code, or password, or gesture, or connected to a gogol account or SIM locked from a carrier

• a Personal Computer
  running Windows, or MacOS, or Linux,
  a connection to the internet ( could be on the phone itself ),
  and a data functional USB cable. ( USB.3 port is not recommended )

• Patience to follow the steps …
  unlock the boot-loader,
  flash a custom recovery manager,
  and finally the user / privacy friendly /e/OS
  into the ROM of your android device

For some devices, you also may want to try the /e/asy-installer (If you are using Linux and snap is not installed on your computer, you can build the easy-installer yourself),
it does the same as we explain here.

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Presentation

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see details

if your device already run another custom OS, you may have TWRP ( or another custom recovery ) already installed, so go to step .7). or .8)

if your device already run /e/ and you want to update or upgrade without data loss, see this howto

if your device run an Official-Android Stock-Vendor Firmware version, ( realized by your Carrier / Vendor / Gogol )
so, this step by step guide is for you.

most devices comes with three booting modes

• boot to system mode.
• boot to recovery mode.
• boot to boot-loader mode = download mode = fastboot mode

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Useful key combinations to load alternative boot mode

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Usefull key combinations for Samsung devices

Useful key combinations for Samsung devices

Download Mode : volume down + home/bixby + power
Exit Download Mode (reboot) : volume down + power

Recovery Mode : volume up + home/bixby + power

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Useful key combinations for Sony devices

Useful key combinations for Sony devices

This page on the the Sony Developer website lists some useful key combinations

• Fastboot mode: (for flashing recovery, or using other fastboot commands): Make sure your phone is turned off. Insert the USB cable into yor PC. Press and hold Volume down key, then insert the USB cable. The LED will light blue to show you are in fastboot mode
• Flash mode: (for when using FlashTool) Make sure your phone is turned off. Insert the USB cable into your PC. Press and hold Volume down key, then insert the USB cable. The LED will light green to show you are in flash mode
• Recovery mode: Make sure your phone is turned off and unplug your device from the PC. Press Volume down and Power keys together. The phone should vibrate once, then boot into recovery

In addition, the following can be useful, if you need to reboot or power off your phone, but it is not responding to screen or key presses:

• Hard reboot: Press and hold Volume (in the middle, not up or down) and Power keys - after a few seconds the device will vibrate. Release the keys and the device will attempt to reboot
• Hard power off: Press and hold Volume and Power keys as for Hard reboot. Continue holding the keys after the first vibration until the device vibrates three times in quick succession. Release the keys and the device will be powered off

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you are decided to try /e/ on your device,

so, you need to replace the existing system by /e/OS.

• To modify or change the /system partition of your device, you need to boot a custom recovery software that allow you to do that. ( e-recovery, based on AOSP-recovery or the best featured TWRP, from the Team Win Recovery Project ).
• To modify or change the /recovery partition of your device, you need to unlock the boot-loader and flash the custom recovery image to the ROM with the appropriate tools ( Fastboot or Heimdall or Odin )
• To manage the device, you need to communicate with it. ( USB adb, the Android Debugging Bridge )

there are many /partitions on the phone ( ~30, depending of the device model ), but the install process will only modify /boot, /recovery, /system, and /data ( plus /cache and /dalvik-cache ).
NOT ALL THE DEVICE CONTENT ( hardware related )

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official documentation https://doc.e.foundation
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you should read Getting started on /e/ by @Manoj
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don’t miss know your hardware Samsung ? by @aibd

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you may want to flash first an up to date Stock Vendor Firmware to your device

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see details

please report or edit Brand exceptions and Device specific steps

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Asus

Asus
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BQ

BQ
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Essential

Essential
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installation of the stock firmware FairPhone

FairPhone4 https://support.fairphone.com/hc/en-us/articles/4405858261777
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Gigaset

Gigaset
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Google

Google
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HTC

HTC
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Huawei

Huawei
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LeEco

LeEco
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Lenovo

Lenovo
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LG

LG
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Motorola

Motorola
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Nextbit

Nextbit
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Nubia

Nubia
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OnePlus

OnePlus
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OPPO

OPPO
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Razer

Razer
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Realme

Realme
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installation of the Stock Samsung Firmware

downloads :

For high speed download complete latest firmware, factory tagged “bin” ( 4 files, download filename ends by _FAC ) and update ( without wiping /data, 1file ), use sfirmware

For all archives high speed download update ( 1 file ) latest firmware, use samfw
Also provide interesting COMBINATION FIRMWARE

For all archive firmware, low speed download and sometimes download error, use samfrew

For all archives, paid high speed download use sammobile

install the latest Stock Firmware with Brand specific Flashing Tools :

Samsung Windows Flashing-Tools

install with Odin3 Revert Samsung Device to stock ROM on Windows PC

Samsung MacOS Flashing-tools

install in command line withheimdall-flash
or using the graphical interface heimdall-frontend
or with the java software jOdin

Samsung Linux Flashing-Tools

download latest Samsung firmware with the Linux command line tool samloader-CLI
install in command line withheimdall-flash
or using the graphical interface heimdall-frontend
or with the java software jOdin
decompress it to the directory you want, than right click on the file “JOdin3CASUAL” and open it

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Sony

Flashing Stock Firmware on Sony Devices

If you are using a Windows PC, and you have not unlocked the boot-loader on your device, you can use Sony’s flash tool EMMA to flash the latest stock firmware on your device. Full documentation and download are available on the Sony Developer World website.

Flash Tool - Open Devices - Sony Developer World

If you are using a MacOS or Linux PC, or if you have already unlocked the boot-loader, then you will need to use Flashtool

• Downloads for Windows, Linux and MacOS available at http://www.flashtool.net/downloads.php
• Good instructions for use on xperiafirmware.com

Finding the stock firmware

Before you can flash it, you need to find the correct firmware to flash. The EMMA tool - if it works for you - will find and download the latest official Sony firmware for your device automatically.

Otherwise, if you are using a Windows or Linux PC, you can use the XperiFirm ~ Xperia Firmware Downloader to find and download the latest official Sony firmware for your device. (The program is written in .NET and ships as a Windows .exe file, so Linux users will need to install Mono).

If you need access to an older version of the firmware, if you are running a MacOS PC, or if Xperifirm does not find the firmware for your device, then you will need to find the firmware elsewhere on the internet. Places to look include

1. xperiafirmware.com has firmware for many devices, including the following devices with official or unofficial /e/OS builds
   • Z3 (z3)
   • Z3 Compact (z3c
   • [Xperia XZ1 Compact (lilac)][Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact | XperiaFirmware.com]
2. https://xperiastockrom.com has the above, plus
   • Xperia Z5 Compact(suzuran) - make sure you choose the correct version for your specific model number
     • E5803
     • E5823
3. XDA Forums - find the forums for your device and then the relevant sub-forums
4. AndroidFileHost - search for your specific model number e.g. https://androidfilehost.com/?w=search&s=D6603

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Teracube

Teracube
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Wileyfox

Wileyfox
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Wingtech

Wingtech
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Yandex

Yandex
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YU

YU
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ZTE

ZTE
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ZUK

ZUK
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[piero]

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Preparation :

1) Download /e/OS.zip

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On your PC ( adb sideload method ),

or

On your Phone ( Internal Storage / SDcard method ),
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it take times, so do it first,
you can follow all others steps during the download.
Download the devicecodenamed specific image of /e/OS

see details

your model number, available in the
"settings menu" → Plus/System → About phone → “Model number”
must be supported by the device code name of the build you choose.
Be careful about Regional or Carrier variants for the same commercial appellation

example :
model name : Galaxy s7
code name : herolte
model number : SM-G930F, SM-G930FD, SM-G930S, SM-G930K, SM-G930L, SM-G930W8
(lineage_wiki/herolte.yml at master · LineageOS/lineage_wiki · GitHub)

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To find your device codename you can run this command in the console of an adb enabled PC with you phone connected via a usb data cable (and "USB debugging selected in developer options)

$ adb shell getprop ro.product.device

In case you don’t have the device in your hands, here is a list of all ever existing android devices

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builds for the ROM of the specific hardware configuration of your device :

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• • List of Officially Supported devices (up to date)

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• • List of Official upgrade Test builds (from year 2020)

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• • List of Unofficial builds from the /e/ community

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• • List of Unofficial Upgrade from the community for officially supported devices

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• • List of Custom /e/ builds from the community

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• • List of supported Tablets

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• • List of treble compatible devices (G.S.I.)
    Introducing /e/OS generic system images (G.S.I.)
    How to /e/OS on a non supported device? (G.S.I.)

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• • List of requested devices

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• • List of devices Maintained / Discontinued by LineageOS

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2) Download a custom recovery manager .img

On your PC,

see details for TWRP

Download the codenamed specific .img file for your device, it will to replace the original stock-recovery by a custom recovery called TWRP, the Team Win Recovery Project from :

• • Devices.

twrp version 3.5.x-x is designed for recent devices type " a/b_slot" or “treble”, originaly shipped with Stock Android 8, and above,
twrp version 3.4.x-x was buggy, don’t choose it
If installing /e/OS nougat 7, oreo 8, pie 9, quince tart 10, or red velvet cake 11, on a device originally shipped with an Android version older than 8, you should see red errors,
Better is use an older version like 3.3.x-x witch is reputed working well

For recent device you need to download the vbmeta file to disable encryption, it is retrievable aside TWRP file on their website

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3) install the flashing tools

On your PC

see Samsung Brand Exception steps ( Windows only )

( written by @Anonyme )

Download ODIN

Odin is a utility used by Samsung to reset (or flash) their smartphones.

1. Download Odin here .
2. Unzip the file with a right click on it then “Extract all” then “Extract”.

3. The unzipped folder created opens (if not, open it), then open “Odin3 v3.13.3.exe”.

4. Click on “Ok” when the warning message is prompted.
   

You don’t need more Tools if using SDcard method on Windows
You only need A.D.B. if you want to use the sideload method

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see common steps for all other devices ( adb & fastboot )

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Install ADB the Android Debug Bridge,
and Fastboot the common flashing-tool for most android devices.

see Windows steps

Please improve this guide by adding Windows steps

see MacOS steps

Please improve this guide by adding MacOS steps

see Linux steps

Ubuntu is used for the purpose of this guide. Kindly change the commands and package names, if any for your distribution

• open a Terminal app to execute the following command :

$ sudo apt update
$ sudo apt upgrade
$ sudo apt install android-tools-adb
$ sudo apt install android-tools-fastboot

• or

$ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo apt-get upgrade
$ sudo apt-get install android-tools-adb
$ sudo apt-get install android-tools-fastboot

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• When done check with adb version command to verify.

$ adb version

A result as follows shall appear on your terminal screen.

Android Debug Bridge version 1.0.39
Version 1:8.1.0+r23-5

For others GNU/Linux :

• adb

• • • cd
      wget https://dl.google.com/android/repository/platform-tools-latest-linux.zip
      unzip platform-tools-latest-linux.zip
      echo ’
      if [ -d “$HOME/adb-fastboot/platform-tools” ] ; then
      export PATH="$HOME/adb-fastboot/platform-tools:$PATH"
      fi
      ’ >> ~/.bash_profile
      . ~/.bash_profile

• • Official Documentation for adb & fastboot

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see Brand specifics additional steps

please report or edit Brand exceptions and Device specific steps
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Asus

Asus text
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BQ

BQ text
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Essential

Essential text
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FairPhone

FairPhone text
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Gigaset

Gigaset text
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Google

Google text
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HTC

HTC text
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Huawei

Huawei text
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LeEco

LeEco text
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Lenovo

Lenovo text
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LG

LG text
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Motorola

Motorola text
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Nextbit

Nextbit text
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Nubia

Nubia text
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OnePlus

OnePlus text
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OPPO

OPPO text
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Razer

Razer text
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Realme

Realme text
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Samsung Brand specific additional steps

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Windows flashing-tools for Samsung devices

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Windows text

If you are a macrosoft windobe user, please try this excellent howto
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MacOS flashing-tools for Samsung devices

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Please improve this guide by adding MacOS text

The Muppets Heimdall suite 1.4.2.dmg

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Linux flashing-tools for Samsung devices

install Heimdall the Open Source Flashing Tool for Samsung devices

Ubuntu is used for the purpose of this guide. Kindly change the commands and package names, if any for your distribution

$ sudo apt install heimdall-flash
$ sudo apt install heimdall-flash-frontend (optional)

$ sudo apt-get install heimdall-flash
$ sudo apt-get install heimdall-flash-frontend (optional)

• You can verify Heimdall is functioning by opening a Terminal and running

$ heimdall version

A result as follows shall appear on your terminal screen.

v1.4.2

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• Other method :

• • • Download the /e/ heimdall_ubuntu.zip
• • • open a Terminal and type :

• • • $ unzip /path/to/heimdall_ubuntu.zip -d /tmp
$ cp /tmp/bin/heimdall* /usr/bin/
$ rm -rf /tmp/bin

• For others GNU/Linux

• • • Extract The Muppets Heimdall suite zip and take note of the new directory containing heimdall . Now copy heimdall into a directory in $PATH, a common one on most distros will be /usr/local/bin. For example

• • • $ cp heimdall /usr/local/bin .

you may build heimdall, there is a guide…
I did it…for my Linux Mint Debian Edition version 3 cindy

• • Official Documentation for heimdall
    .

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Sony

Sony text
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Teracube

Teracube text
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Wileyfox

Wileyfox text
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Wingtech

Wingtech text
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Yandex

Yandex text
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YU

YU text
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ZTE

ZTE text
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ZUK

ZUK text
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4) Check the communication between the PC and your smartphone

Chances are that either the cable you use is not suitable for data transfer but only for charging the phone or the plug of the — possibly old — smartphone is defective or sometimes malfunctioning.

Check the connection by typing the command

adb devices

with your (USB debugging enabled) smartphone connected with the cable.
If you receive

List of devices attached

and nothing more, something between the PC and your smartphone is not correct and you cannot proceed further.
Try to change cable first and then check the state of the plug on PC and smartphone

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5) Allow flashing

On your phone

see details

allow USB debugging
allow OEM unlock (on android 7 nougat or later)

• Go to the >Settings menu >More/System , scroll down, tap on 'About phone’, scroll down,

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in android 7 nougat :

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in android 5 lollipop

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in android 4 jelly bean :

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• Tap 7 times on ‘Build number’ until it unlocks the Developer options mode as seen in the images below. Kindly enter password/PIN when asked.

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Yay! You are a temporary developer now without any coding experience whatsoever!

• In Settings, navigate to More/System and scroll down to open Developer options.

• in Developer options, allow OEM unlocking (on android 7 nougat or later)

in android 9 pie

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• In Developer options allow USB debugging under DEBUGGING

in android 5 Lollipop

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• There is a disclamer :

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• Tap OK to Allow USB debugging and enable it.

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• Connect your smartphone using USB cable to GNU/Linux PC to whitelist USB debugging from it to unlock bootloader .
• There is a disclamer :

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• Tap OK to continue.

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[piero]

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Let’s roll !

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6) Unlock the Bootloader

Warning: This process will completely wipe all data in the internal storage of your smartphone, please make sure you have a full backup of critical data on your smart phone

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see details

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see Brands detailled steps

please report or edit Brand detailed steps and Device specific steps

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Asus

Asus text
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BQ

BQ text
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Essential

Essential text
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FairPhone Brand detailled steps

Follow the FairPhone steps
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Gigaset

Gigaset text
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Google

Google text
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HTC

HTC text
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Huawei

Huawei text
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LeEco

LeEco text
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Lenovo

Lenovo text
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LG

LG text
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Motorola

Motorola text
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Nextbit

Nextbit text
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Nubia

Nubia text
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OnePlus

OnePlus text
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OPPO

OPPO text
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Razer

Razer text
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Realme

Realme text
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Samsung Brand detailled steps

• Tip :

$ adb reboot bootloader

or

• unplug the device from the PC
• Power Off the device,
• Boot to Download mode :
  hold Volume Down + Home + Power.

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• Now you can plug the device to your PC with a good data USB cable

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Samsung steps using Odin on Windows

Odin will do that for you next step, when flashing the custom recovery manager
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Samsung steps using Heimdall on Linux or MacOS

fastboot commands don’t work with samsung devices, you must use heimdall commands instead.

From the Terminal application on GNU/Linux PC,

• execute the following command to unlock the bootloader :

$ heimdall print-pit

It results that the device reboots

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Congratulation !
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the bootloader of your Samsung device is unlocked and the device is factory reseted, now rebooting…

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Sony Brand detailled steps

Important Note: This process is not reversible. Once you have unlocked the bootloader, you will not be able to revert the device back to a locked or original state or restore the DRM security keys. Without these keys, some advanced functionality in e.g. Sony camera and audio apps may no longer work. Neither will EMMA the Sony Flash tool for Xperia devices . Unlocking the bootloader will also will trigger a factory reset that erases all device settings, user data, third-party applications and associated data from the device’s hardware storage.

To obtain an unlock code, you will need to know your device IMEI. You can find this number, by opening the Phone app and dialling *#06#*. There is no need to press the Call or Send button. The IMEI number will appear as soon as you finish dialling the code. Make a note of the IMEI number - you will need it later.

Full instructions on unlocking the bootloader can be found on the Sony Developer World website. (They are not reproduced here, to avoid the risk of including errors)

First, read the ‘How to unlock bootloader’ page - including the FAQs, to understand what is involved in the process
https://developer.sony.com/develop/open-devices/get-started/unlock-bootloader/how-to-unlock-bootloader/

When you have done that, follow the steps on the ‘Unlock Bootloader’ page
https://developer.sony.com/develop/open-devices/get-started/unlock-bootloader

Teracube

Teracube text
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Wileyfox

Wileyfox text
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Wingtech

Wingtech text
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Xiaomi brand detailed steps

t to the phone. Go to ‘Settings’ > ‘Additional Settings’ > ‘Developer Options’ > ‘Mi Unlock Status’, choose to add an account, deactivate Wi-Fi and activate mobile data as indicated, create or add an account. Note that you need a phone number for that – don’t know if several Mi accounts can be linked to a single phone number.

Request the unlocking of your phone from Xiaomi

CAUTION: it may be – it happened to me – that the unlocking happens instantaneously, in which case all data on your phone will be erased at the very second when you request the unlocking, before you’ve done anything properly related to /e/OS. Be sure to backup important data before requesting the unlocking. In some cases though, you’ll have to wait for some days and nothing will happen until you then actually unlock.

Download the Mi Unlock tool from here .

Extract the .zip file f.ex. in C:/, run the file ‘batch_unlock.exe’. When the Mi software has started, connect to your Mi account with your 10-digit identifier + password, enter the verification code received by SMS.

Then only, turn off your phone. Enter the so-called ‘Fastboot mode’ by pressing simultaneously two buttons for 5 to 10 seconds: ‘Volume Minus’ and ‘Power’. A cartoon with a white rabbit and a green robot appears on a black background: you have successfully entered the Fastboot mode.

Connect the phone to the PC via USB. On the phone, make sure to choose ‘File transfer’ and not ‘USB charging’, otherwise you won’t be able to communicate with the phone.

In the Mi software click on ‘Refresh (F5)’, your phone should show up in the list, with its serial number, its codename (here: ‘lavender’) and status: ‘locked’. If it doesn’t show up, check all ‘Settings’ options listed above, or try from another PC. I was stuck for some time at this step and trying from another PC solved that, not sure why.

Make sure your data is backed up, then click on ‘Unlock (F6)’, which sends the request to Xiaomi.

In my case, the unlocking was instantaneous, all personal data was erased, and I was able to proceed. I don’t know if this is true for all Redmi Note 7. While trying on a Redmi Note 9 (merlin) though, the following message was displayed after some seconds: “Please unlock 168 hours later. And do not add your account in MIUI again, otherwise you will wait from scratch”, meaning that my request had successfully been sent to Xiaomi and I just needed to wait for seven days. I believe this is often the case with Xiaomi phones. See if you are lucky!

Unlock your phone

After the waiting period has elapsed, start the Mi Unlock Tool again, turn off the phone, enter Fastboot mode as described above and connect your phone to the PC. When the phone shows up in the list, click again on ‘Unlock (F6)’, the phone should restart. If you have no waiting period, the phone should restart without further notice the first time you click on Unlock.

The boot takes some time, a small open lock should be displayed at the top of the screen, meaning that the change was successful. One more quick step will finalize the unlocking.

A black screen says “This device is locked”. Before clicking anything, write down the Unlock code displayed in small characters at the bottom – I didn’t need it but one never knows!

Choose “Open Wi-Fi settings”, connect to the Internet and go back, choose “Activate this device”, enter the password of your Xiaomi account, follow the instructions.

Your phone should now be fully unlocked, i.e. devoid of your previous data + you are now authorized to installed a new OS.

Authorize again some options on your phone

You need to re-activate the Developer options by going to ‘Settings’ > ‘About Phone’ > ‘MIUI Version’ and tapping seven times at this precise place.

Then go to ‘Settings’ > ‘Additional Settings’ > ‘Developer Options’ > ‘OEM Unlock’ and check that is says ‘Bootloader already unlocked’.

Check that your phone is indeed unlocked.

Still in the menu ‘Developer Options’, find ‘Mi Unlock Status’: it should say ‘Unlocked’ if your steps were successful. If so, congrats!! the phone is unlocked and Part 1 is accomplished!
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Yandex

Yandex text
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YU

YU text
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ZTE

ZTE text
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ZUK

ZUK text
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see standard / common devices steps

To obtain an unlock code, you will need to know your device IMEI. You can find this number, by opening the Phone app and dialling *#06#*. There is no need to press the Call or Send button. The IMEI number will appear as soon as you finish dialling the code. Make a note of the IMEI number - you will need it later.

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Text need contributions/translations

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adb devices

adb reboot bootloader

fastboot devices

fastboot flashing unlock

fastboot reboot

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7) Flash the custom recovery manager, TWRP or recovery-e

see details

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• Redo the first android boot setup quickly. Since all the settings have been wiped from your device.

• Once done, you have to re-enable the Developer options,

• re-enable the USB debugging in the Developer options with steps above :

• Go to the Settings menu , scroll down, tap on 'About phone’ , scroll down,

• Tap 7 times on ‘Build number’ until it unlocks the Developer options mode as seen in the images below. Kindly enter password/PIN when asked.

• Yay! You are a temporary developer now without any coding experience whatsoever!

• In Settings , navigate to System and scroll down to open Developer options .

• In Developer options enable USB debugging under DEBUGGING

• There is a disclamer :

• Tap OK to Allow USB debugging and enable it.

• Connect your smartphone using a good USB cable to your GNU/Linux PC to whitelist USB debugging from it.
  There is a disclamer :

• Tap OK to continue.

.

see Brands exceptions steps

please report or edit Brand exceptions and Device specific steps
.

Asus

Asus text
.

BQ

BQ text
.

Essential

Essential text
.

FairPhone

FairPhone steps
.

Gigaset

Gigaset text
.

Google

Google text
.

HTC

HTC text
.

Huawei

Huawei text
.

LeEco

LeEco text
.

Lenovo

Lenovo text
.

LG

LG text
.

Motorola

Motorola text
.

Nextbit

Nextbit text
.

Nubia

Nubia text
.

OnePlus

OnePlus text
.

OPPO

OPPO text
.

Razer

Razer text
.

Realme

Realme text
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Samsung Brand exeption steps

• Tip :

$ adb reboot bootloader

or

• Unplug the device from the PC
• Power Off the device,
• Boot to Download mode :
  hold Volume Down + Home + Power.

.

• Now you can plug the device to your PC with a good data USB cable

.

see Samsung Windows steps

1. WARNING : make sure you have enough battery power to avoid any tricky situation, whether for your smartphone or your computer.
2. Open Odin (the tool we put aside earlier).

3. Put your smartphone in download mode (see above how to do this).
   The display differs according to the version of Android, here 6.0.1 Marshmallow.

4. Connect your smartphone to your computer with a reliable cable.
   The word “Added” should appear on Odin. This means the smartphone in download mode is detected.If nothing happens, it means your computer doesn’t have the necesary drivers. So you need to install them, by following the steps of the following 7) part. Sometimes you just have to wait a few minutes that Windows install them automatically.
   
5. For recent devices only (s8 and newer), Click on “CP”, then select the vbmeta file in .tar format previously downloaded.
   For all, Click on “AP”, then select the TWRP file in .tar format previously downloaded.
   
6. Click on “Start” to start installing TWRP on your device. It will take a few seconds. Once finished, Odin will display in a green box “PASS”.WARNING : Immediately after clicking on “Start”, press the home and volume up buttons simultaneously and for a long time. This allows you to enter in TWRP directly when the phone automatically reboots. If you don’t, Android will start normally but the TWRP installation will be deleted. It will therefore be necessary to repeat the procedure.If you don’t like to do things quickly or if your phone reboots into the system instead of TWRP, here is a procedure that will work on every device : in the “Options” tab (between “Log” and “Pit”) untick the “Auto-reboot” box. Therefore you will have to manually reboot the device by pressing the main button, the power button and the volume down button. As soon as the screen turns off, move your finger from the volume down button to the volume up button (while continuing to press on the other buttons) in order to enter into TWRP.When TWRP is starting, a small line appears at the top left of the screen with the word “recovery” on some devices.

Install the necessary drivers if needed

In order for your smartphone to communicate with the computer, and therefore be flashed, you must install the necessary drivers. (If you have already successfully installed TWRP, skip this step.)

1. Download them from the official source (you need to have a Samsung account) or directly from an unofficial source .
2. Unzip the downloaded directory.
3. Open the unzipped directory created and launch the utility (the file ending by “.exe”).

4. Click on “Yes” in the Windows warning message and follow the steps indicated.
   Perfect, your device can now correctly communicate with Odin.

.

see Samsung MacOS steps

Ce texte sera masqué
.

see Samsung Linux steps

For recent devices (s8 and newer), you must flash first the vbmeta file to disable encription, it is foundable aside with the TWRP file on their website

• From terminal application on PC, navigate to file path where you have downloaded the TWRP.img, execute the following command to install a custom recovery software called TWRP the Team Win Recovery Project .

$ heimdall flash --RECOVERY twrp-3.3.1-0-herolte.img --no-reboot

• It will result in the following output on PC:

target reported max download size of 536870912 bytes
sending ‘recovery’ (33684 KB)…
OKAY [ 1.048s]
writing ‘recovery’…
OKAY [ 0.346s]
finished. total time: 1.394s

.

…NOW COMES THE CRUTIAL STEP !..

• To get out of the Download mode you must Force Power Off your Samsung device,
  unplug the device,
  hold Volume Down + Power.
  release when you see the screen turn off…

…IT IS THE CRUTIAL STEP !..

• immediately Boot to Recovery before any other boot mode attempt,
  hold Volume up + Home + Power.
  release when you see the very little blue line in the top of the screen…

…IT WAS THE CRUTIAL STEP !..

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Sony

Sony text
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Teracube

Teracube text
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Wileyfox

Wileyfox text
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Wing tech

Wingtech text

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Yandex

Yandex text
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YU

YU text
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ZTE

ZTE text
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ZUK

ZUK text
.

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see "a/b_slot" type devices particular steps

You must load and boot to custom recovery
instead of flash and reboot to custom recovery.

.

see standard "fastboot" devices steps

.

Text need contributions/translations

.

Open a terminal from the directory where you downloaded the recovery-manager-for-your-device.img

adb devices

adb reboot bootloader

fastboot devices

fastboot flash recovery /recoveryfilenameforyourdevice.img

fastboot boot /recoveryfilenameforyourdevice.img

.

you can read this TWRP first boot explanation by @aibd

.

You must successfully end with the TWRP splash logo ! And the welcome screen :

.
if you see something like that :

.
It FAILED ! that is the Official Stock Vendor Samsung / Gogol Firmware Recovery screen !
Please re-read and retry the flashing process of TWRP

.

.

[piero]

.

Now the easiest part : install /e/ !

.

8) Install the image of /e/OS on the rom of your device from your Computer using the ADB sideload method.

.

using "TWRP"

this is the Welcome screen of TWRP recovery

.

• ==i> Swipe to Allow Modifications

this is the TWRP main menu

.

• Tap Wipe from Main Menu.
  
  .
• Tap Format Data (only for Upgrade, not for Update)
  
  
  
  .
• Type yes in the text field to continue.

.
Once done a successful result as seen in the image below appears.

.

This will remove encryption as well as delete all files stored on the internal storage.

• Tap Back, return to the main menu,

.

• choose reboot,

.

.
.

• and tap recovery

.

.

• unselect “prompt to install TWRP app…”
  and “install as a System app”,
• tap on “do not install”.

the device reboot to TWRP

.

• From the main menu, choose wipe,

.
and tap Advanced Wipe .

.

.

• Select the Cache and System partitions to be wiped and then Swipe to Wipe .

• Once done a successful result as seen in the image below appears.

*. tap back to the main menu

.

• choose Advanced

.

.

• Tap ADB Sideload

.

• Select Wipe Dalvik Cache and Wipe Cache

• then Swipe to Start ADB Sideload

.

on your PC

• in the command-prompt on your Windows PC,
  or in the console on your MacOS PC
  In the Terminal application on your GNU/Linux PC,
  navigate to file path where you have downloaded the /e/OS.zip to execute the following command:

adb sideload e-0.11-n-2020082970471-dev-your-device.zip

• It will result in the following output on PC when finished:

serving: '/home/modi/Downloads/e-0.11-n-2020082970471-dev-herolte.zip' (~47%) Total xfer: 1.00x

• On your smartphone, a successful result as seen in the image below appears.
  .
  
  
  
  .
• Tap Reboot System

…

• wait several minutes…

…

to boot into freshly installed /e/OS on your Samsung device.

.

• Voila! Easy, isn’t it?

If you encounter an “error 7”,

.
refer to this topic .
This could also be due to the fact that :
your TWRP version isn’t compatible with the ROM you are trying to install,

• • • Samsung.
      for installing /e/OS on a recent devices “a/b_slot” or “treble” ( originaly shipped with Android 8 or later ) use twrp version 3.5.x-x
      twrp version 3.4.x-x was buggy, don’t choose it
      BUT for installing /e/OS on an older device ( originaly shipped with nougat.7, or older), better is to use a version like twrp 3.3.1-0

.

using "recovery-e"

The e-recovery.img will perform many of the same functions as twrp and is probably a bit easier in some respects for installing the eOS.zip. There are just a few basic steps to carry out:

• select Factory Reset, then Format data / factory reset and continue with the formatting process
• Return to Home Screen
• Select Apply Update, then Apply from ADB

Now turn to your computer and issue the command to sideload the eOS installation zip

adb sideload filename.zip

When installation has finished, return to the main menu, tap Reboot system now

Your phone should now boot into eOS.

Step-by-step, with images

The e-recovery Home Screen. Select Factory reset

Select Format data/factory reset (notice the output appearing at the bottom of the screen)

Then press the arrow at the top of the screen to return to Home Screen

Select Apply Update, then Apply from ADB

The screen should now change and the output at the bottom ask you to send the package from your computer.

On the computer issue command to sideload the eOS installation zip and the phone screen will be mostly blank with just the output at the bottom showing progress.

On the computer the sideloading shows progress as a percentage figure that will stop at 47%. The phone will still be installing though (even though it might feel like nothing is happening sometimes!) and you can expect to see the following screens

Tap Reboot system now to boot into eOS.

.

Thanks for reading !
Share your feedback.

.

9) Install the image of /e/OS on the ROM of your device without computer, from the “custom recovery manager” using the SDcard method

(forked from @Anonyme)

Now you’re in TWRP, congratulations, you’ve done the hardest part.

using "TWRP"

.

A) Delete existing smartphone content

1. Before you reach the main menu, a message may ask you if you want to open TWRP read-only (i.e. no risk of deleting or changing anything) or not. This option shouldn’t be chosen (since we want to install a new operating system). Slide the bottom arrow from left to right.TWRP may also ask you for a password, which is your phone password.

2. a)

.

• Tap Wipe from Main Menu.
  
  .

• Ta.p Format Data (only for Upgrade, nit for Update)
  

  
  
  .

• Type yes in the text field to continue.

.

• Once done a successful result as seen in the image below appears.

This will remove encryption as well as delete all files stored on the internal storage.

• T.ap Back, return to the main menu, choose reboot ,

• 

• and tap recovery
  
  

the device reboot to TWRP

2. b)

• From the main menu, choose wipe ,
  .
  
  
  
  .
  
  .

.
and tap Advanced Wipe .

3. Select the following items to delete and nothing else :

• Dalvik / ART Cache
• system
• Data (only for Upgrade, not for Update)
• Internal Storage (only for Upgrade, not for Update)
• cache

.
4. Validate by dragging the “Swipe to Wipe” arrow from left to right.If red error messages show up, your phone is probably encypted but TWRP can’t decrypt the /data partition (it’s a common issue on Samsung phones).To solve that problem, go to Wipe > Advanced wipe, select “data”, click on “Repair or Change File System”, then on “Change filesystem”. Select exFAT (or another one if it doesn’t work, it doesn’t matter), then swipe from the left to the right. Redo the manipulation but this time select ext4 (which is the original file system) then slide from the left to the right.
Go to the 8)A)1. part of the howto.
5. Return to the main menu using the virtual buttons at the bottom of the screen.

B) Transfer the /e/ ROM to the internal storage of the smartphone

The previously downloaded /e/ ROM is waiting in the warm on your computer, so you need to transfer it to your smartphone’s internal storage so that TWRP can use it.

1. Connect your smartphone to the computer.
2. Copy the ZIP folder of the /e/ ROM (without unzipping) (right click on it and then “Copy”).

.
3. Paste it into the internal storage of your smartphone. To do this, in the file explorer you are in, clic.k on “This PC” then on your smartphone, then on “Internal storage”. Paste here, next to the “TWRP” folder (not inside).

4. Unplug your smartphone once the transfer is complete.

#.## C) Install /e/

Everything is ready, all that remains is to install /e/.

1. In the TWRP main menu, click on “Install”.

.
2. Select the .zip file you just copied/pasted. It should appear directly if you have pasted it at the right place.

.
3. To confirm the flash of your smartphone, slide the “Swipe to confirm Flash” arrow from left to right.

4. A blue loading bar or a shiny empty bar should appear. After a few minutes at most, the installation is completed.

If you encounter an “error 7”, refer to this topic .
This could also be due to the fact that :

• your TWRP version isn’t compatible with the ROM you are trying to install,

5. Click on “Wipe cache/dalvik” at the bottom left, confirm if necessary.

.
6. Click on “Reboot System”. You can choose whether or not to install the TWRP application on /e/ and choose whether or not you want this application to be a system application. Since it’s not useful, I preferred to click on “Don’t install TWRP App” and DO NOT INSTALL drag the arrow from left to right (this. would have resulted in its installation).

.

using "recovery-e"

Copy the “e…your-device-codename.zip” into your sdcard

Boot your device into " recovery mode"
and peform a “Factory reset” (only for new insrallation)

Then select “Apply Update”

Traitement de : IMG_20221002_160415.jpg…

Choose from internal storage
or
Choose from sdcard1

Select the folder where you put the downloaded file

Choose the last /e/build

wait severals minutes …

Go back to the main menu
Using the “<–” bouton at the top left of the screen

Choose “Reboot the device now”, it’s done !

.

10) Post-Installation Setup

.

The animation of the /e/ logo should now appear on your screen for several minutes. Wait, then configure your device as you wish.

.

even /e/OS is privacy friendly, it is wanted to be working “out of the box” for non android-technician people,
so some maybe unnecessarily features are unable by default, making compatibility with “évil” mainstream apps or certified security protocols ( not fully efficient for some of them ).

.

see configuration détails

From My Point Of View, some “precautions” have to be taken, I hardly recommend Not to insert any SIMcard and not to connect wifi service for the moment…

• turn off wifi and Bluetooth for the moment
• You whould check all pre-intalled “apps permissions” and “apps data usage”.
  I found some inappropriate or questionable :
  BLISS_LAUNCHER have storage and location ?
  BROWSER have location ?
  MICRO_G permissions are greyed since android 10 !
• also in -->settings -->system -->microG, if not needed, disable the features : Gogol Safetynet, Cloud Messaging, Device Registration ( start from the bottom to the top )
• you may want first of all install " TrackerControl" to stop connection buy unwanted trackers embeded in aditional app or “Blocada” to stop connection to unwanted domain called by additional apps
  Using a PC browser or another device, you can go to https://F-droid.org and dowwnload the needed .APK then transfert it to your new /e/ device, and install it.
• you can add F-droid and AuroraStore to have official and up to date apps
  in aurora’s blacklist, select all Open-sources additional apps you installed from F-droid, and all native apps to not be updated excepting Magic-Earth (/e/Maps) and the non open-source additional apps you installed from Aurora
• if you need root permission for some apps, install magisk
• if the OS on your device don’t have root access permission (like basic /e/OS), but is recognized by a mainstream app to have been rooted (because running a custom “uncertified” OS), a paradoxal workaround, is installing the magisk root manager, the safetynet-fix module, and the shamiko module to hide the “root action” that was unlocking the bootloader and replacing the stock recovery manager (usefull for some Bank-apps)

see Magisk installation details

.

OFFICIAL Installation | Magisk instructions

.

see Magisk configuration details

Open Magisk settings

Hide the Magisk app

Name the app of your choice and click OK

Create shortcut when asked

Open Magisk settings again and enable Zygisk. Do not enable Enforce DenyList

Choose the apps you would like to hide from detection

Reboot to take effect.

This settings usually only work with basic detections. Before we go further, try the apps you want to use, see if it detect root or doing some strange fake bugs like connection error. If not, and you can use the apps perfectly, you do not need to hide more

If the apps are still detecting it, you need to install some modules to hide even more

You need the following modules:

• Shamiko: Releases · LSPosed/LSPosed.github.io

• SafetyNet fix: Releases · kdrag0n/safetynet-fix (Works only for REAL devices with hardware attestation)

How to install modules:

Go to modules tab and select Install from storage

.

.

[LIST] Settings for New Users / New Device Setup

Here is an old article about Oreo android 8 based settings references in LineageOS thanks to @AnotherElk

.

.

11) Enjoy your digital sovereignty

.

.
.

If you have any problem or correction to make this tutorial can be accurate to the word, do not hesitate

[piero]

.

List of HOWTOs & add your suggestions

There is a curated version How Tos - /e/ documentation. To help update that page we want your suggestions for topics for HOWTOs that you (would) want to see on the site. Feel free to create a (or two) suggested HOWTO below and link it here ! ------ This list can be edited by users. Please add suggestions/topics you think necessary ------ Table of Contents /e/ installation Start-up and Set-up /e/ Applications and widgets in /e/ System apps /e/cloud…

[piero]

yet working for Samsung devices,

this guide will be improved by me and any volunteers as it is editable by all …
( if not afraid by the MARKDOWN caracters everywhere in the text ! please be carefull …)

don’t hesitate to propose your changes or report issues in this thread.

[mike_from_ireland]

Lovely guide @piero. I have been meeting and talking more and more with people who might be interested in /e/ but they have such a low technical capacity that manually installing /e/ is far beyond they ability, even the easy installer would prove confusing for them. No fault of theirs of course. I’m wondering would it be technically possible to do remote installs of /e/ for people. For example, they have a zoom call with a volunteer, they plug the device into their laptop, and the volunteer controls the screen and does the install?

[piero]

You mean control the PC like using a VNC server/client service ?
Yes ! good idea, ( but a bit intrusif…)

[smu44]

@mike_from_ireland

and the volunteer controls the screen and does the install?

This will work only with Android running (system mode), not in recovery or bootloader modes.

[mike_from_ireland]

I think if the person who is asking for help installing is ok with someone doing it for them over the internet (just by asking to control the screen through zoom) and the person has full view of what the volunteer is doing and can stop it at any time then I don’t think it would be too intrusive. Also zoom addresses could be registers on the eforum as reputable … Maybe even with reviews😁

[mike_from_ireland]

Ok. Would remote assisted install using easy installer work? I might get a cheap spare phone and try this myself.

[piero]

Do you think possible, some unofficial builds of the easy-installer supporting more devices ?

[smu44]

@mike_from_ireland

Ok. Would remote assisted install using easy installer work? I might get a cheap spare phone and try this myself.

@piero

Do you think possible, some unofficial builds of the easy-installer supporting more devices ?

As far as I know, Easy Installer automates installation operations, blindly waiting for device to come back for some of them. This explains why some user are facing problems : the easy Installer cannot see (we may enhance it with a camera and some IA ) what is happening, and assumes it’s OK when device come back.

So, it will help, but cannot accurately replace a human eye for some steps.

And yes, it can be enhanced for more devices. But someone has to write the necessary code

[piero]

@smu44

yes, it can be enhanced for more devices. But someone has to write the necessary code

There is quite a form to add devices

[smu44]

@piero

There is quite a form to add devices

Please see here : Support new device · Wiki · e / tools / Easy Installer · GitLab

[piero]

I know this page, but don’t understand how to use it,
can we add those two files into a folder of an existing easy-installer, or have we to build an new easy-installer including new device config files ?

[smu44]

You may ask authors, I don’t use Easy Installer
BTW, Easy Installer threads : Easy Installer - /e/ community

[Poipoi]

nice work !
I just installed /e/ on a Moto X4, it was such a pain …until I used an old DELL laptop, with USB3 but it was working like a charm
I was stuck for hours to copy the TWRP.img with fastboot, but if I read something about testing with another PC hardware I would saved hours !

https://doc.e.foundation/devices/payton/install

[AnotherElk]

@piero

Here are settings references by @AnotherElk

These were the settings from LineageOS 15.1, which was Android 8.1, on the Fairphone 2, I don’t know how much they help here.
It should at least be clearly mentioned here that they are not /e/OS settings, and not recent.

[piero]

i have never experienced fastboot, so help is needed editing this guide !

thank you.
piero.

Edit : you can propose me some additions by direct messages (hitting the user avatar in any post)