Install /e/ on device currently running Android 10 (specifically samsung s9)

/e/OS Devices
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1

Hey all,
I am new to the /e/ community and would love to install /e/ on my phone. However, my Samsung S9 is already running Android 10 (Android Q) and the official documentation states, that you cannot downgrade your phone from Android Q to /e/ with Android 8.
In another topic OnePlus6user managed to install /e/ on a OnePlus 6 running android Q. Therefore my question: Has anyone succeeded in installing /e/ on a Samsung S9 (or any other device) currently running Android Q? Is the process comparable to the one described by OnePlus6user? What is the worst-case scenario if I try? I do not want to brick the phone…

Thank you for your help, it is much appreciated!

I would like to include more links to the official documentation and to the user hippoman who has a similar topic regarding a OnePlus 7, but as a new member I can only post two links :roll_eyes:

2

Hey ! Welcome in the community forum :slight_smile:

Indeed the warning message is a little scary :yum:
But I think it’s just here to avoid any issue. I doubt it could really make your device unusable. And this text is here for every devices, even those that aren’t on Android Pie or 10.

It says not to install /e/ Oreo on a Android 10 phone, but it doesn’t say not to downgrade the stock ROM by another stock ROM.
The Galaxy S9 was released with Oreo, so you could download the last Oreo version of the official firmware, and then install /e/.

Before you start anything, also download the last Android 10 firmware for your device in order to be able to restore it quickly in case it doesn’t work.

If you choose to take the risk, here is a HowTo you can use :

3

I prefer NOT to downgrade. I heard often, that on Samsung device the bootloader are different which will cause a device brick.

@archje you are the Samsung specialist. What are your thoughts ?

4

The last stockROM version Oreo 8.0.0 G960FXXS2BRL3 is from December 2018, the current stockROM version Android 10 G960FXXS7DTB5 with Security Update is from February 2020.

The stockROM bootloader versions are so different that a downgrade from StockROM 10 to 8 is no longer possible according to Samsung’s will.

5

That’s too bad… The Galaxy S5 was released with Android 4.4.2 KitKat and can be updated to /e/ Pie but a samsung phone on Pie or Android 10 can’t be on Oreo… Kind of frustrating :yum:

6

Thanks @Anonyme for the welcome to the community, the idea to downgrade to stock Android 8 and the provided links.
Sadly it probably will not work as @harvey186 and @archje commented :confused: Thank you two for pointing that out :+1:

I also wondered about Archje’s comment and /e/ in general: If I would downgrade to Oreo I would also miss the important security upgrades of 2019 till now, correct? Does that not pose a security threat or are you doing anything that helps mitigate the associated risks?
If I understand it correctly, the security updates are also the reason why the developers of GrapheneOS only support devices that are still maintained by the manufacturer.
Should I as a user worry about this?

7

Samsung Android Oreo 8.0.0

After the update, you will no longer be able to use the old software due to security policy updates.

A520Fupdate
A520Fupdate1080×1920 178 KB
A520Fupdate2020
A520Fupdate20201080×1920 103 KB

  1. See also here …
  2. In 2020 the warning message will no longer be displayed. Samsung is also evil…
8

Google (unlike Apple) doesn’t deal the same way the security and the features updates.

Right now, Google publishes security updates every month for Oreo, Pie and Android 10. So even if you are on Oreo, you can have the last official security updates.

So to answer your question, if you manage to downgrade to the stock Oreo you won’t have the last security updates because Samsung doesn’t provide them, but if you manage to be on /e/ Oreo, you will have the March 2020 security updates.

9

Okay, thanks for the fast responses and clearing up my confusion about security updates!

10

Lots of Documentation issues Is this the right Topic the top post was 10 months ago maybe the doc is just old…

May I ask, I have my Galaxy s9 SM-G960F it came with Android 10, I allowed it to update to the latest dated 1Feb 2021

is the Documentation for install of /e/ exactly correct? so far I have TWRP twrp-3.5.0_9-1-starlte flashed and when I went in TWRP to Wipe and Format

I get could not mount /data, or storage or /data/media/TWRP I cant tell if that’s expected and I dont want to reboot.

Its very confusing when I read

"Downgrading Smartphones already on Android Q or LineageOS 17.x to Pie ( dont know names I know numbers referencing names is not usefull number versions are) , or other OS can cause instability or at worst brick some devices. "

It makes one think that if one has android 10 they should not be reading that doc, that implying what I am about to do on the doc page, is not correct.

Then

"Before following these instructions please ensure that the device is on the latest Android firmware.

For example to upgrade to /e/ Q (10)? the Android firmware should be Android 10(also Q?) and for /e/ Pie it should be Android 9"

But I am not upgrading anything, I have android 10 and am moving to /e/ 10, does the doc need to be updated?

Then ii says

  1. On the computer, open a command prompt (on Windows) or terminal (on Linux or macOS) window, and type:
 heimdall print-pit
  1. If the device reboots, Heimdall is installed and working properly.

Patch the device

Install the patch seems non-sequitur.
what does that mean I haven’t even finished with TWRP so how can that step be done?

I think SusieQ said we do not need to bother with the VENDOR file or that patch since this is Samsung S9

Also

does the sentence mean e-0.13-q-2021012097133-dev-starlte is indeed /e/ 10, (Q) and that it is correct to use on

also it says TWRP in documentation page to but then there is also
recovery-e-0.13-q-2021012097133-dev-starlte
is that something that can be used instead of TWRP twrp-3.5.0_9-1-starlte? the docs do not talk about it .

Then there is this

Manually reboot into recovery:

  • With the device powered off, hold Volume Up + Bixby + Power. When the blue text appears, release the buttons.

Tip: On some devices if the device does not boot into TWRP (but above it says blue text) thats not TWRP we are expecting to boot into TWRP not the blue and yellow text screen.

you could try it manually by following these steps

  • With the device powered off, hold Volume Up + Bixby + Power. When the blue text appears, release the buttons.

Wow sorry but I think technical docs should be reviewed once that model is complete and working, or I am totally misunderstanding, technical is very literal and precise and procedural, names and nicknames are not helpful.

11

Yeah @luka,
the S9 ‘starlte’ /e/ documentation leaves a lot to be desired.Among other things, it only talks about »custom recovery - you can download TWRP«

Not a single syllable is mentioned about eRecovery, although a separate eRecocery version irecovery-e-0.13-q-20210120 s provided for the current /e/ OS ‘Q’ build e-0.13-q-20210120

The same applies to eRecovery for the Galaxy S9+ star2lte Does eRecovery not deserve to be mentioned? This is incomprehensible to me!

12

Hi @Luka As I recall, another user had an issue with twrp-3.5.0_9-1 on this device. I installed twrp-3.5.0_9-0 and then /e/OS Q without incident on my S9. Maybe it’s just beginner’s luck in my case, but I thought I would pass that along in case it helps you.

Marc

13

Thanks Marc! I just re -ran heimdale to push

recovery-e-0.13-q-2021012097133-dev-starlte.img instead i want to see what thats like.

So waiting for it to complete, it takes a long time been sitting here for about 45 minutes maybe…

14

During summer and automn 2020, there were success stories installing /e/oreo stable build on top of Samsung android Q with the easy installer

15

I would like to read them, please. You must have 1, 2 or 3 links, don’t you?

16

I also was very surprised of that

/Samsung - Galaxy S9+ - star2lte - Documentation Suggestions

/The /e/OS Installer arrives!

.

17

Hi,

I’m new here since today.
A few days ago I installed /e/ with the easy installer on my S9 which was running on the latest Android 10 provided by Samsung.
Installation went OK, but much to my surprise /e/ is still running on Android 8…
If I understand well there is a Android 10 package of /e/, which should be applied manually?

18

Yes the dev branch Q build has to be installed manually
When the stable branch Oreo build is for now installed on the phone solded by e.shop, or could be installed by the easy installer

19

The subsequent addition of “I was also very surprised of that” dampens the “success stories” somewhat.

The original post:

Wow,
I’m not really impressed with these so-called success stories. They leave me with a number of questions

They only talk about Android 10 and Android Oreo in general, without specific version information.

I maintain: a downgrade from stock Android 10-Q to stock to Android 8-Oero is generally not allowed by Samsung. A downgrade from Stock Android 10-Q to Stock to Android 9-Pie, in order to then install /e/ OS Oreo 8.1.2, is only possible under very few selected Android constellations. Otherwise, the so-called roll-back lock applies.

@piero, please name the stock Android 10 Q versions that can be downgraded to which lower stock Android versions.

20

I can’t, i just can say that at least two users claim they have bought and received a Samsung S9 or S9+ running stock android 10 ( one said I do all the updates proposed by Samsung )

And then use successfully the easy installer,

Haven’t you try it @SuzieQ ?
I (@piero), don’t have device yet compatible with the easy installer (only Galaxy s4mini, s4, s5mini, s5, Tab2, … and … iPhone 5s)