Installing eOS on Galaxy A8 2019 ¨go to wifi¨

[MichielP80]

I have an old Samsung galaxy Tab A8 (2019) go to wifi.

I would like to install eOs on this tablet, but i use Linux Mint 22.
In the installation doc, i will see only the Windows doc.
I have no problems to install windows as a dual boot, but thats not what i want to do.

I have rest the tablet tot Android 9 and downloading the image eOs 2.6.3.
The device is set up to developer mode and unlocked the OEM.
With the power up+power butten i can boot to Recovery mode en the bootloader version is T290XXS3ATF1

I have downloaded the ADB android tool for Linux, but is there anyone who can help me out?
Do i really install windows? (i hate Windows/Microsoft)

Regain your privacy! Adopt /e/OS the deGoogled mobile OS and online services

[piero]

fastboot is not usefull on Samsung device :
but adb devices must return something, are you sure of your cable ? USB port ?

On linux, you have to use Heimdall(CLI), Odin4(CLI), Galaxy-Flasher(GUI) or Eros(android OTG)

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

posts are editable as a Wiki. Here is the summary : (1) install the appropriate Flashing Tools (2) allow “Non Vendor OS” to be installed on the device (3) Check the communication between the PC and your smartphone (4) Download a custom recovery manager (5) Download an /e/OS build (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 “Device-Storage…

@MichielP80

old Samsung galaxy Tab A8 (2019)

not so old from my point of view…

@MichielP80

ATF1

but that look very old to me,
Download Galaxy Tab A (8.0 inches, 2019, Wi-Fi) SM-T290 (PHN) T290XXS3ATF1 in Samfw - Samsung firmware download
Android 9 (SECURITY PATCH LEVEL 2020-06-01)

latest version is
Download Galaxy Tab A (8.0 inches, 2019, Wi-Fi) SM-T290 (PHN) T290XXS5CWG5 in Samfw - Samsung firmware download
Android 11 (SECURITY PATCH LEVEL 2023-05-01)

better is to use Galaxy-Flasher for upgrading stock firmware, then Heimdall to flash a custom recovery.

[MichielP80]

Okay,

Mayby i am stupid with this…

First of all i did install Flatpak and then installing Samsung Galaxy flasher.
I also downloaded the latest firmware version that you discribe above as a .Zip file.

When i run Samsung Galaxy Flasher.
In the settings i can select a flash tool like Odin4 or Thor.
But then its asking for aan Odin4 Executable.

It sounds a little bit strange but do i first need to install Odin4?

[piero]

From the option windows of Galaxy-Flasher
you can download Odin4,
then point to where it is located on your PC.

Then you need to reboot Galaxy-Flasher to use it…

The Samsung Firmware is composed by 4 “XXXXXXXXXX.tar.md5” files.
(BL, AP, CP, CSC)

[MichielP80]

Thanks!

The Firmware on the tablet is now updated to T290XXS5CWG5, so tomorrow or this weekend i will try to go further with Heimdall.

[MichielP80]

Hi,

If someone is still interested in an old Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 2019 ¨¨go to wifi"then they can it it over from me.
this tablet was from my brother but he gets a new one on his birthday.

I had the idea to try to flash this tablet with eOS, but for me and because i have Linux it cost me to much time and i dońt use this tablet anymore.
With the tip above i have already updated the phone with the latest firmware and the tablet is installed with Android 11. (there are no version updates anymore from Android for this tablet)

So if i can make someone happy…please let me know or it goes to the garbage.

[piero]

specifications

Network	Technology	GSM / HSPA / LTE
2G bands	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bands	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41
Speed	HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat4 150/50 Mbps - cellular model only

Launch	Announced	2019, July 05
Status	Available. Released 2019, July

Body	Dimensions	210 x 124.4 x 8 mm (8.27 x 4.90 x 0.31 in)
Weight	345g (Wi-Fi), 347g (LTE) (12.24 oz)
Build	Glass front, aluminum back, plastic frame
SIM	Nano-SIM (cellular model only)

Display	Type	TFT LCD
Size	8.0 inches, 185.6 cm2 (~71.0% screen-to-body ratio)
Resolution	800 x 1280 pixels, 16:10 ratio (~189 ppi density)

Platform	OS	Android 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 11
Chipset	Qualcomm SDM429 Snapdragon 429 (12 nm)
CPU	Quad-core 2.0 GHz Cortex-A53
GPU	Adreno 504

Memory	Card slot	microSDXC (dedicated slot)
Internal	32GB 2GB RAM, 32GB 3GB RAM, 64GB 2GB RAM
	eMMC 5.1

Main Camera	Single	8 MP, AF
Video	1080p@30fps

Selfie camera	Single	2 MP
Video

Sound	Loudspeaker	Yes, with dual speakers
3.5mm jack	Yes

Comms	WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct
Bluetooth	4.2, A2DP, LE
Positioning	GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS - cellular model only
NFC	No
Radio	No
USB	microUSB 2.0

Features Sensors Accelerometer

Battery Type Li-Po 5100 mAh, non-removable

Misc	Colors	Carbon Black, Silver Gray
Models	SM-T290, SM-T295
SAR EU	0.75 W/kg (head) 1.19 W/kg (body)

[piero]

reading Install /e/OS on a Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0 (2019) - “gtowifi”

you must be on version T290XXU3CVG3

Download Galaxy Tab A (8.0 inches, 2019, Wi-Fi) SM-T290 (PHN) T290XXU3CVG3 in Samfw - Samsung firmware download

@MichielP80

i have Linux

so you can use Odin4linux or Galaxy-Flasher to flash .TAR files and simply follow Official Instructions for gtowifi SM-T290

.
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.

adaptations from the Official Instructions to use Heimdall instead of Odin.

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

.
(step 2)
Allow OEM unlock and USB debugging in the -->settings → developper options
(step 6)
boot it into download mode
click the button that the onscreen instructions correlate to “Device unlock mode” and/or “Unlock Bootloader”.

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put those five files into the same folder on your PC,

(step 1)
Heimdall 2.0.1 (for debian / ubuntu based linux)
(step 4)
aboot.mbn (for gtowifi SM-T290)
.
vaultkeeper.mbn (for gtowifi SM-T290)
.
vbmeta.img (for gtowifi SM-T290)
.
recovery-e-3.0.1-a14 (for gtowifi SM-T290)

open a terminal from this folder (right-click)
boot the device in download mode,
copy /paste this command :
(step 7)

./heimdall flash --ABOOT aboot.mbn --VK vaultkeeper.mbn --VBMETA vbmeta.img --RECOVERY recovery-e-3.0.1-a14-20250608498955-community-gtowifi.img --no-reboot

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reboot DIRECTLY to the recovery /e/

(step 8)
apply a facyory-reset

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put those two files into the same folder on your PC,
(step 1)
adb 36 (for linux64)
(step 5)
e-3.0.1-a14 (for gtowifi SM-T290)

open a terminal from this folder (right-click)
copy /paste this command :

(step 8)

./adb sideload e-3.0.1-a14-20250608498955-community-gtowifi.zip

[MichielP80]

Thank you very much for your explanation but I will not do this again.

This all sounds way too complicated to me and I have no idea why I should spend more time on this.

So I come back to my early question…
If anyone is interested in this tablet then he can take it over for the shipping costs and otherwise it will end up in the trash.

I love the e/OS Project but this is not for me.