Non-supported devices via treble / GSI, in my case Huawei Honor 9 Lite (LLD-L31)

/e/OS Devices Request a Device
,
1

Hi all,
I’m new here and wanted to try /e/ OS in my beloved Honor 9 Lite (LLD-L31). Bootloader is unlocked, TWRP as recovery installed, Kirin 659 (A) = Arm64, treble info stated VNDK 28.0, A-only system partition (read out on stock ROM EMUI 9.1.0.189 (C432E10R1P4), but yes I used for flashing A/B-image due to GSI / Android 12, see further below).

I tried accordingto the how-to with the official actual /e/ OS builds from here: How to /e/ on a non supported device?
But I got an error. “FAILED (remote: sparse flash write failure)”


E:\adb-fastboot\platform-tools>adb devices
List of devices attached
FPMDU18119009229        device

E:\adb-fastboot\platform-tools>adb reboot bootloader

E:\adb-fastboot\platform-tools>fastboot flash system IMG-e-1.1-q-20220630200240-dev-treble_arm64_bvN.system.img
target reported max download size of 471859200 bytes
sending sparse 'system' 1/7 (460796 KB)...
OKAY [ 15.649s]
writing 'system' 1/7...
FAILED (remote: sparse flash write failure)
finished. total time: 15.910s

It’s possible for me to get it running with an old /e/ OS version which I found here: e-pie-20200416-UNOFFICIAL-treble_arm64_beN.img

E:\adb-fastboot\platform-tools>fastboot flash system e-pie-20200416-UNOFFICIAL-treble_arm64_beN.img
target reported max download size of 471859200 bytes
sending sparse 'system' 1/5 (460796 KB)...
OKAY [ 15.755s]
writing 'system' 1/5...
OKAY [  3.818s]
sending sparse 'system' 2/5 (424008 KB)...
OKAY [ 14.514s]
writing 'system' 2/5...
OKAY [  2.970s]
sending sparse 'system' 3/5 (460796 KB)...
OKAY [ 15.619s]
writing 'system' 3/5...
OKAY [  3.217s]
sending sparse 'system' 4/5 (460796 KB)...
OKAY [ 15.703s]
writing 'system' 4/5...
OKAY [  3.248s]
sending sparse 'system' 5/5 (158048 KB)...
OKAY [  5.424s]
writing 'system' 5/5...
OKAY [  1.117s]
finished. total time: 81.412s

Is there a parameter for fastboot to ignore the sparse flash write failure?

I already tried “–force” but maybe I put it at the wrong point.

E:\adb-fastboot\platform-tools>fastboot --force flash system IMG-e-1.1-q-20220630200240-dev-treble_arm64_bvN.system.img
fastboot: unknown option -- force

E:\adb-fastboot\platform-tools>fastboot flash system IMG-e-1.1-q-20220630200240-dev-treble_arm64_bvN.system.img --force
fastboot: unknown option -- force

I guess it comes from the little system partition. Is there a /e/ OS treble / GSI version available which is smaller?

IMG-e-1.1-q-20220630200240-dev-treble_arm64_bvN.system.img | 2,63 GB (2834985240 Bytes)

I also tried the older ones, like IMG-e-0.23-q-20220514185542-dev-treble_arm64_bvN.system.img but same error.
IMG-e-0.23-q-20220514185542-dev-treble_arm64_bvN.system.img | 2,46 GB (2652426496 Bytes)

Best regards,
Pollux

Btw: Due to the fact, that I can’t get an actual /e/ OS running, I’m using Lineage-OS. This could be installed, also with the hint but not failed.

lineage-19.1-20220613-UNOFFICIAL-arm64_bvS.img | 1,90 GB (2046554112 Bytes)


E:\adb-fastboot\platform-tools>fastboot flash system lineage-19.1-20220613-UNOFFICIAL-arm64_bvS.img
target reported max download size of 471859200 bytes
Invalid sparse file format at header magi
sending sparse 'system' 1/5 (449028 KB)...
OKAY [ 15.723s]
writing 'system' 1/5...
OKAY [  3.350s]
sending sparse 'system' 2/5 (460796 KB)...
OKAY [ 15.676s]
writing 'system' 2/5...
OKAY [  3.269s]
sending sparse 'system' 3/5 (460080 KB)...
OKAY [ 15.873s]
writing 'system' 3/5...
OKAY [  3.243s]
sending sparse 'system' 4/5 (460796 KB)...
OKAY [ 15.368s]
writing 'system' 4/5...
OKAY [  3.236s]
sending sparse 'system' 5/5 (134276 KB)...
OKAY [  4.528s]
writing 'system' 5/5...
OKAY [  0.949s]
finished. total time: 81.243s
2

@Pollux Maybe you can try ask for help @ this xda 3ad:

Anyway, when you ask for a build, don’t forget to share sources:

3

To check out that idea you might run

$ adb shell
> $ df -a

(It would not matter what build you are running, we only want to confirm the available space on the device!) There is currently a MINIMAL_APPS specification, but I do not remember it being available in GSI. On the subject of small system partition I raised https://gitlab.e.foundation/e/backlog/-/issues/5860

4

Hello.

-- force is unknown because --force is the right command (without space).

5

Hi @forart.it ,
Thanks for the advice to XDA-Developers, and helping.

Hi @aibd ,
here’s the output:

PS E:\adb-fastboot\platform-tools> adb devices
List of devices attached
FPMDU18119009229        device

PS E:\adb-fastboot\platform-tools> adb shell
phhgsi_arm64_ab:/ $ df -h
Filesystem            Size Used Avail Use% Mounted on
/dev/root             1.8G 1.8G   16M 100% /
tmpfs                 1.3G 1.7M  1.3G   1% /dev
tmpfs                 1.3G    0  1.3G   0% /mnt
/dev/block/mmcblk0p44 120M 105M   13M  90% /odm
/dev/block/mmcblk0p57 568M 466M   90M  84% /vendor
/dev/block/mmcblk0p54  27M 5.4M   21M  21% /vendor/preavs
tmpfs                 1.3G 8.0K  1.3G   1% /apex
/dev/block/mmcblk0p59  23G 964M   23G   5% /data
/dev/block/mmcblk0p43 108M 328K   99M   1% /cache
none                  1.3G 1.0M  1.3G   1% /mnt/phh
/dev/fuse              23G 964M   23G   5% /storage/emulated
/dev/fuse              29G  63M   29G   1% /storage/B261-D626
phhgsi_arm64_ab:/ $ df -a
Filesystem                     1K-blocks    Used Available Use% Mounted on
/dev/root                        1964940 1932032     16524 100% /
tmpfs                            1396496    1784   1394712   1% /dev
devpts                                 0       0         0   0% /dev/pts
proc                                   0       0         0   0% /proc
sysfs                                  0       0         0   0% /sys
selinuxfs                              0       0         0   0% /sys/fs/selinux
tmpfs                            1396496       0   1396496   0% /mnt
/dev/block/mmcblk0p44             122796  107396     12824  90% /odm
/dev/block/mmcblk0p57             581256  477548     91940  84% /vendor
/dev/block/mmcblk0p54              27552    5536     21376  21% /vendor/preavs
tmpfs                            1396496       8   1396488   1% /apex
tmpfs                                  -       -         -    - /linkerconfig
tmpfs                                  -       -         -    - /mnt/installer
tmpfs                                  -       -         -    - /mnt/androidwritable
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /apex/com.android.adbd
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /apex/com.android.apex.cts.shim
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /apex/com.android.appsearch
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /apex/com.android.art
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /apex/com.android.cellbroadcast
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /apex/com.android.conscrypt
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /apex/com.android.extservices
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /apex/com.android.i18n
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /apex/com.android.ipsec
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /apex/com.android.media
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /apex/com.android.media.swcodec
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /apex/com.android.mediaprovider
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /apex/com.android.neuralnetworks
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /apex/com.android.os.statsd
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /apex/com.android.permission
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /apex/com.android.resolv
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /apex/com.android.runtime
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /apex/com.android.scheduling
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /apex/com.android.sdkext
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /apex/com.android.tethering
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /apex/com.android.tzdata
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /apex/com.android.vndk.v32
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /apex/com.android.vndk.v28
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /apex/com.android.vndk.v29
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /apex/com.android.vndk.v30
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /apex/com.android.vndk.v31
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /apex/com.android.wifi
none                                   0       0         0   0% /dev/blkio
none                                   0       0         0   0% /sys/fs/cgroup
none                                   0       0         0   0% /dev/cpuctl
none                                   0       0         0   0% /dev/cpuset
tmpfs                                  -       -         -    - /linkerconfig
tracefs                                0       0         0   0% /sys/kernel/tracing
debugfs                                0       0         0   0% /sys/kernel/debug
none                                   0       0         0   0% /config
none                                   0       0         0   0% /sys/fs/fuse/connections
bpf                                    0       0         0   0% /sys/fs/bpf
pstore                                 0       0         0   0% /sys/fs/pstore
none                                   0       0         0   0% /dev/workingset
adb                                    0       0         0   0% /dev/usb-ffs/adb
hdb                                    0       0         0   0% /dev/usb-ffs/hdb
none                                   0       0         0   0% /dev/frz
tracefs                                -       -         -    - /sys/kernel/debug/tracing
/dev/block/mmcblk0p59           24635392  986732  23648660   5% /data
/dev/block/mmcblk0p43             110576     328    101076   1% /cache
/dev/block/mmcblk0p17                  -       -         -    - /mnt/modem/modem_secure
/dev/block/mmcblk0p37                  -       -         -    - /vendor/modem/modem_fw
/dev/block/mmcblk0p11                  -       -         -    - /mnt/modem/mnvm2:0
tmpfs                                  -       -         -    - /storage
none                             1396496    1104   1395392   1% /mnt/phh
none                                   -       -         -    - /vendor/lib/libkeymaster3device.so
none                                   -       -         -    - /vendor/lib64/libkeymaster3device.so
none                                   -       -         -    - /system/usr/keylayout
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /system/etc/libnfc-nci.conf
none                                   -       -         -    - /vendor/etc/audio
none                                   -       -         -    - /system/xbin
/dev/block/mmcblk0p59                  -       -         -    - /sec_storage
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /vendor/etc/usb_audio_policy_configuration.xml
/dev/block/mmcblk0p59                  -       -         -    - /data/user/0
tmpfs                                  -       -         -    - /data_mirror
/dev/block/mmcblk0p59                  -       -         -    - /data_mirror/data_ce/null
/dev/block/mmcblk0p59                  -       -         -    - /data_mirror/data_ce/null/0
/dev/block/mmcblk0p59                  -       -         -    - /data_mirror/data_de/null
/dev/block/mmcblk0p59                  -       -         -    - /data_mirror/cur_profiles
/dev/block/mmcblk0p59                  -       -         -    - /data_mirror/ref_profiles
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /apex/com.android.vndk.v28/lib64/libminijail.so
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /system/system_ext/apex/com.android.vndk.v28/lib64/libminijail.so
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /apex/com.android.vndk.v28/lib/libminijail.so
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /system/system_ext/apex/com.android.vndk.v28/lib/libminijail.so
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /vendor/lib64/libminijail.so
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /vendor/lib/libminijail.so
tmpfs                                  -       -         -    - /system/xbin/su
tmpfs                                  -       -         -    - /mnt/phh/xbin/su
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /apex/com.android.vndk.v28/lib64/libminijail.so
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /system/system_ext/apex/com.android.vndk.v28/lib64/libminijail.so
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /apex/com.android.vndk.v28/lib64/libminijail.so
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /vendor/lib64/libminijail.so
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /system/system_ext/apex/com.android.vndk.v28/lib64/libminijail.so
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /apex/com.android.vndk.v28/lib/libminijail.so
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /system/system_ext/apex/com.android.vndk.v28/lib/libminijail.so
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /apex/com.android.vndk.v28/lib/libminijail.so
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /vendor/lib/libminijail.so
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /system/system_ext/apex/com.android.vndk.v28/lib/libminijail.so
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /vendor/lib64/libminijail.so
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /system/system_ext/apex/com.android.vndk.v28/lib64/libminijail.so
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /apex/com.android.vndk.v28/lib64/libminijail.so
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /system/system_ext/apex/com.android.vndk.v28/lib64/libminijail.so
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /apex/com.android.vndk.v28/lib64/libminijail.so
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /system/system_ext/apex/com.android.vndk.v28/lib64/libminijail.so
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /apex/com.android.vndk.v28/lib64/libminijail.so
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /vendor/lib64/libminijail.so
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /system/system_ext/apex/com.android.vndk.v28/lib64/libminijail.so
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /apex/com.android.vndk.v28/lib64/libminijail.so
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /vendor/lib/libminijail.so
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /system/system_ext/apex/com.android.vndk.v28/lib/libminijail.so
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /apex/com.android.vndk.v28/lib/libminijail.so
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /system/system_ext/apex/com.android.vndk.v28/lib/libminijail.so
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /apex/com.android.vndk.v28/lib/libminijail.so
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /system/system_ext/apex/com.android.vndk.v28/lib/libminijail.so
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /apex/com.android.vndk.v28/lib/libminijail.so
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /vendor/lib/libminijail.so
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /system/system_ext/apex/com.android.vndk.v28/lib/libminijail.so
/dev/root                              -       -         -    - /apex/com.android.vndk.v28/lib/libminijail.so
/data/media                            -       -         -    - /mnt/runtime/default/emulated
/data/media                            -       -         -    - /mnt/runtime/read/emulated
/data/media                            -       -         -    - /mnt/runtime/write/emulated
/data/media                            -       -         -    - /mnt/runtime/full/emulated
/dev/fuse                              -       -         -    - /mnt/user/0/emulated
/dev/fuse                              -       -         -    - /mnt/installer/0/emulated
/dev/fuse                              -       -         -    - /mnt/androidwritable/0/emulated
/dev/fuse                       24635392  986732  23648660   5% /storage/emulated
/data/media                            -       -         -    - /mnt/pass_through/0/emulated
/data/media                            -       -         -    - /mnt/user/0/emulated/0/Android/data
/data/media                            -       -         -    - /storage/emulated/0/Android/data
/data/media                            -       -         -    - /mnt/androidwritable/0/emulated/0/Android/data
/data/media                            -       -         -    - /mnt/installer/0/emulated/0/Android/data
/data/media                            -       -         -    - /mnt/user/0/emulated/0/Android/obb
/data/media                            -       -         -    - /storage/emulated/0/Android/obb
/data/media                            -       -         -    - /mnt/androidwritable/0/emulated/0/Android/obb
/data/media                            -       -         -    - /mnt/installer/0/emulated/0/Android/obb
/dev/block/vold/public:179,193         -       -         -    - /mnt/media_rw/B261-D626
/mnt/media_rw/B261-D626                -       -         -    - /mnt/runtime/default/B261-D626
/mnt/media_rw/B261-D626                -       -         -    - /mnt/runtime/read/B261-D626
/mnt/media_rw/B261-D626                -       -         -    - /mnt/runtime/write/B261-D626
/mnt/media_rw/B261-D626                -       -         -    - /mnt/runtime/full/B261-D626
/dev/fuse                              -       -         -    - /mnt/user/0/B261-D626
/dev/fuse                              -       -         -    - /mnt/installer/0/B261-D626
/dev/fuse                              -       -         -    - /mnt/androidwritable/0/B261-D626
/dev/fuse                       30363648   64928  30298720   1% /storage/B261-D626
/mnt/media_rw/B261-D626                -       -         -    - /mnt/pass_through/0/B261-D626
phhgsi_arm64_ab:/ $ exit
PS E:\adb-fastboot\platform-tools>

My search wasn’t succesfull. I found an old e-0.9-version but the links were dead.
The only one working, which I found, was the version from XDA-Developers and that was quite old.

Best regards,
Pollux

6

Hi @trefix ,
I used “–force” (without space). The error comes with space. But thanks for double-checking.

Best regards,
Pollux
(Sorry for double-posting, but the system limits for new users like me the persons which I can mention.

7

Full disclosure I do not know GSI internally.

Seeing this,

Filesystem            Size  Used   Avail Use% Mounted on
/dev/root             1.8G   1.8G  16M  100%       /
/dev/root        1964940  1932032  16524 100%      /

… and I am assuming you are running

lineage-19.1-20220613-UNOFFICIAL-arm64_bvS.img | 1,90 GB (2046554112 Bytes)

… then if we take it Lineage is occupying all but 16MB of the available space, then imho it would be unlikely that the smallest /e/ image would fit, if only because /e/ has all its apps installed in system.