OEM unlocking greyed out, bootloader is already unlocked

Valeria · February 4, 2025, 6:11pm

Hello everyone! Hope to get some reassurance here

So, after the webinstaller brought me into FastBoot lock and I reverted to Fairphone OS, I want to give e/OS another try, either with the webinstaller or manual install. In either case, the instructions request OEM unlocking.
However, the option is greyed out, stating that the bootloader is already unlocked (which is true, as I did this to install e/OS).

Soo, my question is, can I safely proceed with installing e/OS manually or via the webinstaller? If not, how do I enable the OEM unlocking again? I am connected to wifi. I installed adb and fastboot, however I don’t get yet whether anything happens if I go into fastboot mode with the phone, or whether it is just to check on certain properties (if anyone can direct me to somewhere to figure this out, I am grateful).
I saw someone having a similar phenomenon in xda forums, but there they don’t say anything about wanting to flash a different OS.

Android version is 13 with security patch level November 5 2024.

Thanks for any help!

Jets · February 4, 2025, 6:45pm

Looks like you have to go to Fairphone and request the unlock code:

Xxpsilon · February 4, 2025, 8:38pm

Nothing will happen if you check the bootloader locked or unlocked status:

Run following commands in your fastboot terminal or CMD:

fastboot getvar unlocked
OR
fastboot oem device-info
OR
fastboot getvar all

Valeria · February 5, 2025, 12:13pm

Hi Jets, I got the unlock code ready (I already did OEM unlocking once). The problem is that I cannot toggle the button on since it is greyed out as you can see in the screenshot. Thanks anyways

Xxpsilon · February 5, 2025, 12:31pm

Try the following: Go online, open the Updater so that the device briefly connects to the FP server - but don’t do an update if one is offered, so cancel the process. This will also synchronize the time. Then restart the device and check the OEM unlocking status.

Valeria · February 5, 2025, 9:13pm

Thanks @Xxpsilon for your help! Sadly, this didn’t do the trick, OEM unlocking is still greyed out (would have been nice if for once the easy solution works). Right now I cannot access the phone from fastboot. I get an error message no permissions (missing udev rules? user is in the plugdev group); see [http://developer.android.com/tools/device.html] fastboot when prompting fastboot devices (interestingly enough, adb does not have any problem). But can only figure that one out next week as I will be traveling. I will therefore come back with what fastboot tells me about the device state then. Hope to have more insights then!

Valeria · February 13, 2025, 5:31pm

Soo, I am back and frickled a bit with fastboot now (apparently USB cables and ports seem to be problem!). Anyways, I got the responses for the commands. If you see those, would you say it is safe to proceed with the installation of e/OS?
Any further help would be appreciated! Looking forward to finally using this nice phone

fastboot getvar unlocked yields

unlocked: yes
Finished. Total time: 0.003s

which is what I want, I guess.

fastboot oem device-info yields

(bootloader) Verity mode: true
(bootloader) Device unlocked: true
(bootloader) Device critical unlocked: true
(bootloader) Charger screen enabled: false
OKAY [  0.001s]
Finished. Total time: 0.001s

Where is the exact info about OEM here? Is there any problem that charger screen enabled: false?

fastboot getvar all yields

(bootloader) parallel-download-flash:yes
(bootloader) hw-revision:10000
(bootloader) unlocked:yes
(bootloader) off-mode-charge:0
(bootloader) charger-screen-enabled:0
(bootloader) battery-soc-ok:yes
(bootloader) battery-voltage:4033
(bootloader) version-baseband:
(bootloader) version-bootloader:
(bootloader) erase-block-size: 0x1000
(bootloader) logical-block-size: 0x1000
(bootloader) variant:SM_ UFS
(bootloader) partition-type:modemst2:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:modemst2: 0x600000
(bootloader) partition-type:modemst1:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:modemst1: 0x600000
(bootloader) partition-type:tunning:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:tunning: 0x600000
(bootloader) partition-type:fsc:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:fsc: 0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:fsg:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:fsg: 0x280000
(bootloader) partition-type:fpconfig:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:fpconfig: 0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:fpconfig_persist:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:fpconfig_persist: 0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:traceability:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:traceability: 0x100000
(bootloader) partition-type:ALIGN_TO_128K_2:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:ALIGN_TO_128K_2: 0x1A000
(bootloader) partition-type:swversion:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:swversion: 0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:oembin:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:oembin: 0x400000
(bootloader) partition-type:catecontentfv:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:catecontentfv: 0x100000
(bootloader) partition-type:catefv:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:catefv: 0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:secdata:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:secdata: 0x7000
(bootloader) partition-type:uefivarstore:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:uefivarstore: 0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:storsec:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:storsec: 0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:logdump:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:logdump: 0x4000000
(bootloader) partition-type:cateloader:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:cateloader: 0x200000
(bootloader) partition-type:logfs:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:logfs: 0x800000
(bootloader) partition-type:toolsfv:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:toolsfv: 0x100000
(bootloader) partition-type:limits-cdsp:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:limits-cdsp: 0x1000
(bootloader) partition-type:limits:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:limits: 0x1000
(bootloader) partition-type:splash:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:splash: 0x20A4000
(bootloader) partition-type:spunvm:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:spunvm: 0x800000
(bootloader) partition-type:apdp:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:apdp: 0x40000
(bootloader) partition-type:dip:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:dip: 0x100000
(bootloader) partition-type:devinfo:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:devinfo: 0x1000
(bootloader) partition-type:fsgbk_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:fsgbk_b: 0x280000
(bootloader) partition-type:core_nhlos_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:core_nhlos_b: 0xAA00000
(bootloader) partition-type:uefisecapp_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:uefisecapp_b: 0x200000
(bootloader) partition-type:imagefv_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:imagefv_b: 0x200000
(bootloader) partition-type:featenabler_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:featenabler_b: 0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:dtbo_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:dtbo_b: 0x1800000
(bootloader) partition-type:vbmeta_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:vbmeta_b: 0x10000
(bootloader) partition-type:vbmeta_system_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:vbmeta_system_b: 0x10000
(bootloader) partition-type:recovery_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:recovery_b: 0x6000000
(bootloader) partition-type:qupfw_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:qupfw_b: 0x14000
(bootloader) partition-type:devcfg_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:devcfg_b: 0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:boot_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:boot_b: 0x6000000
(bootloader) partition-type:keymaster_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:keymaster_b: 0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:dsp_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:dsp_b: 0x4000000
(bootloader) partition-type:abl_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:abl_b: 0x100000
(bootloader) partition-type:mdtp_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:mdtp_b: 0x2000000
(bootloader) partition-type:mdtpsecapp_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:mdtpsecapp_b: 0x400000
(bootloader) partition-type:bluetooth_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:bluetooth_b: 0x200000
(bootloader) partition-type:modem_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:modem_b: 0xC300000
(bootloader) partition-type:hyp_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:hyp_b: 0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:multiimgoem_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:multiimgoem_b: 0x8000
(bootloader) partition-type:tz_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:tz_b: 0x400000
(bootloader) partition-type:aop_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:aop_b: 0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:questdatafv:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:questdatafv: 0x1000000
(bootloader) partition-type:fsgbk_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:fsgbk_a: 0x280000
(bootloader) partition-type:featenabler_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:featenabler_a: 0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:core_nhlos_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:core_nhlos_a: 0xAA00000
(bootloader) partition-type:uefisecapp_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:uefisecapp_a: 0x200000
(bootloader) partition-type:imagefv_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:imagefv_a: 0x200000
(bootloader) partition-type:dtbo_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:dtbo_a: 0x1800000
(bootloader) partition-type:vbmeta_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:vbmeta_a: 0x10000
(bootloader) partition-type:vbmeta_system_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:vbmeta_system_a: 0x10000
(bootloader) partition-type:recovery_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:recovery_a: 0x6000000
(bootloader) partition-type:qupfw_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:qupfw_a: 0x14000
(bootloader) partition-type:devcfg_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:devcfg_a: 0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:boot_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:boot_a: 0x6000000
(bootloader) partition-type:keymaster_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:keymaster_a: 0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:dsp_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:dsp_a: 0x4000000
(bootloader) partition-type:abl_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:abl_a: 0x100000
(bootloader) partition-type:mdtp_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:mdtp_a: 0x2000000
(bootloader) partition-type:mdtpsecapp_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:mdtpsecapp_a: 0x400000
(bootloader) partition-type:bluetooth_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:bluetooth_a: 0x200000
(bootloader) partition-type:modem_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:modem_a: 0xC300000
(bootloader) partition-type:hyp_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:hyp_a: 0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:multiimgoem_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:multiimgoem_a: 0x8000
(bootloader) partition-type:tz_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:tz_a: 0x400000
(bootloader) partition-type:aop_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:aop_a: 0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:ALIGN_TO_128K_4:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:ALIGN_TO_128K_4: 0x1A000
(bootloader) partition-type:ddr:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:ddr: 0x100000
(bootloader) partition-type:cdt:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:cdt: 0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:ALIGN_TO_128K_1:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:ALIGN_TO_128K_1: 0x1A000
(bootloader) partition-type:xbl_config_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:xbl_config_b: 0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:xbl_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:xbl_b: 0x380000
(bootloader) partition-type:xbl_config_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:xbl_config_a: 0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:xbl_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:xbl_a: 0x380000
(bootloader) partition-type:userdata:f2fs
(bootloader) partition-size:userdata: 0x377E72E000
(bootloader) partition-type:super:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:super: 0x180000000
(bootloader) partition-type:rawdump:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:rawdump: 0x20CCCD000
(bootloader) partition-type:oempersist:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:oempersist: 0xC800000
(bootloader) partition-type:metadata:ext4
(bootloader) partition-size:metadata: 0x1DE0000
(bootloader) partition-type:frp:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:frp: 0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:keystore:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:keystore: 0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:misc:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:misc: 0x100000
(bootloader) partition-type:persist:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:persist: 0x2000000
(bootloader) partition-type:ssd:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:ssd: 0x2000
(bootloader) partition-type:ALIGN_TO_128K_3:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:ALIGN_TO_128K_3: 0x18000
(bootloader) has-slot:modem:yes
(bootloader) has-slot:system:no
(bootloader) current-slot:a
(bootloader) has-slot:boot:yes
(bootloader) slot-retry-count:b:7
(bootloader) slot-unbootable:b:no
(bootloader) slot-successful:b:no
(bootloader) slot-retry-count:a:6
(bootloader) slot-unbootable:a:no
(bootloader) slot-successful:a:yes
(bootloader) slot-count:2
(bootloader) secure:yes
(bootloader) serialno:9faa870d
(bootloader) product:FP4
(bootloader) snapshot-update-status:none
(bootloader) is-userspace:no
(bootloader) max-download-size:805306368
(bootloader) kernel:uefi
all: 
Finished. Total time: 0.017s

Xxpsilon · February 13, 2025, 6:52pm

Yes, let’s go…

IMPORTANT!
Execute fastboot flashing get_unlock_ability
It it returns get_unlock_ability: 0:
Do not relock the bootloader last step or you’ll brick your device.

Happy flashing

Valeria · February 14, 2025, 1:47pm

Yaaay it worked!
After starting e/OS once, I could enable OEM unlocking again in the developer settings (thanks e/OS) just by entering the device PIN. Then entered into fastboot, got get_unlock_ability: 1 and could continue with locking the bootloader again. Thanks so much for your help. You successfully created a new e/OS user

Xxpsilon · February 14, 2025, 2:04pm

Bravo and congratulations! Please mark your thread / problem as solved.