Pixel 4a (5G) easy-installer failed, now "no valid slot to boot"

Hello there :wave:,
I tried to install /e/OS on my Google Pixel 4a (5G) “Bramble” using the easy-installer and something went wrong.
I mention my computer is running XUbuntu 22.04 and snap easy-installer v0.18.1.

  1. I followed all instructions : developper mode, USB Debug, OEM unlock, File Transfert, fastboot unlock bootloader etc…
  2. At the booting on recovery step, the phone entered a loop of two screens:
    Unlocked bootloader warning ↔ White screen with Google logo.
    And the easy-installer was stuck into Wait Recovery stage.
  3. After twenty minutes in that loop I decided to restart all.
    But the phone does not boot: no valid slot to boot, and impossible to go into Recovery mode (again that loop).
  4. Then I tried to switch to slot a : ./fastboot set_active a
    It is still not possible to boot on system
    But now, I am able to go into Recovery mode. Any reason to that ?

On the Recovery screen, I see 12/SQ3A.220705.003.A1.
I downloaded the corresponding stock images + the OTA full image from google website.
I also have the pixel-bramble /e/OS and recovery-e images downloaded.

  • I fear to do something bad, anyone have advices on what should I do ?
  • Any ideas on what happened ?
More info with fastboot getvar all
❯ ./fastboot getvar all
(bootloader) product:bramble
(bootloader) serialno:08281JECB09130
(bootloader) variant:SM7 UFS
(bootloader) max-download-size:0x10000000
(bootloader) slot-suffixes:_a,_b
(bootloader) version-bootloader:b5-0.4-8351080
(bootloader) version-baseband:g7250-00202-220422-B-8489468
(bootloader) secure-boot:PRODUCTION
(bootloader) secure:yes
(bootloader) hw-revision:MP1.0
(bootloader) is-userspace:no
(bootloader) slot-count:2
(bootloader) current-slot:a
(bootloader) unlocked:yes
(bootloader) nos-production:yes
(bootloader) off-mode-charge:1
(bootloader) slot-retry-count:a:0
(bootloader) slot-unbootable:a:yes
(bootloader) slot-successful:a:no
(bootloader) slot-retry-count:b:0
(bootloader) slot-unbootable:b:yes
(bootloader) slot-successful:b:no
(bootloader) battery-voltage:4268
(bootloader) battery-soc-ok:yes
(bootloader) snapshot-update-status:none
(bootloader) storage-vendor:MICRON
(bootloader) storage-model:MT128GASAO4U21
(bootloader) storage-rev:0302
(bootloader) citadel-fw:0.0.3/brick_v0.0.8512-262df920c 2022-04-29 21:09:
(bootloader) auto-shutdown:0
(bootloader) partition-type:ssd:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:ssd:0x2000
(bootloader) partition-type:persist:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:persist:0x2000000
(bootloader) partition-type:misc:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:misc:0x100000
(bootloader) partition-type:keystore:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:keystore:0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:frp:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:frp:0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:boot_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:boot_a:0x6000000
(bootloader) partition-type:boot_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:boot_b:0x6000000
(bootloader) partition-type:vendor_boot_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:vendor_boot_a:0x6000000
(bootloader) partition-type:vendor_boot_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:vendor_boot_b:0x6000000
(bootloader) partition-type:dtbo_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:dtbo_a:0x1000000
(bootloader) partition-type:dtbo_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:dtbo_b:0x1000000
(bootloader) partition-type:modem_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:modem_a:0xC300000
(bootloader) partition-type:modem_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:modem_b:0xC300000
(bootloader) partition-type:klog:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:klog:0x800000
(bootloader) partition-type:metadata:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:metadata:0x1000000
(bootloader) partition-type:vbmeta_system_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:vbmeta_system_a:0x10000
(bootloader) partition-type:vbmeta_system_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:vbmeta_system_b:0x10000
(bootloader) partition-type:super:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:super:0x245800000
(bootloader) partition-type:userdata:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:userdata:0x1B46FFB000
(bootloader) partition-type:xbl_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:xbl_a:0x380000
(bootloader) partition-type:xbl_config_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:xbl_config_a:0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:xbl_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:xbl_b:0x380000
(bootloader) partition-type:xbl_config_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:xbl_config_b:0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:ALIGN_TO_128K_1:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:ALIGN_TO_128K_1:0x1A000
(bootloader) partition-type:cdt:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:cdt:0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:ddr:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:ddr:0x100000
(bootloader) partition-type:aop_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:aop_a:0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:tz_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:tz_a:0x400000
(bootloader) partition-type:hyp_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:hyp_a:0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:abl_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:abl_a:0x200000
(bootloader) partition-type:keymaster_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:keymaster_a:0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:cmnlib_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:cmnlib_a:0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:cmnlib64_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:cmnlib64_a:0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:devcfg_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:devcfg_a:0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:qupfw_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:qupfw_a:0x14000
(bootloader) partition-type:vbmeta_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:vbmeta_a:0x10000
(bootloader) partition-type:reserve_1:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:reserve_1:0x800000
(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:apdp_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:apdp_a:0x10000
(bootloader) partition-type:multiimgoem_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:multiimgoem_a:0x8000
(bootloader) partition-type:featenabler_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:featenabler_a:0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:aop_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:aop_b:0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:tz_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:tz_b:0x400000
(bootloader) partition-type:hyp_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:hyp_b:0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:abl_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:abl_b:0x200000
(bootloader) partition-type:keymaster_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:keymaster_b:0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:cmnlib_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:cmnlib_b:0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:cmnlib64_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:cmnlib64_b:0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:devcfg_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:devcfg_b:0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:qupfw_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:qupfw_b:0x14000
(bootloader) partition-type:vbmeta_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:vbmeta_b:0x10000
(bootloader) partition-type:reserve_2:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:reserve_2:0x800000
(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:apdp_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:apdp_b:0x10000
(bootloader) partition-type:multiimgoem_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:multiimgoem_b:0x8000
(bootloader) partition-type:featenabler_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:featenabler_b:0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:devinfo:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:devinfo:0x1000
(bootloader) partition-type:spunvm:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:spunvm:0x800000
(bootloader) partition-type:splash:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:splash:0x8000
(bootloader) partition-type:limits:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:limits:0x1000
(bootloader) partition-type:limits-cdsp:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:limits-cdsp:0x1000
(bootloader) partition-type:toolsfv:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:toolsfv:0x100000
(bootloader) partition-type:logfs:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:logfs:0x800000
(bootloader) partition-type:storsec:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:storsec:0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:uefivarstore:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:uefivarstore:0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:secdata:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:secdata:0x7000
(bootloader) partition-type:ALIGN_TO_128K_2:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:ALIGN_TO_128K_2:0x1A000
(bootloader) partition-type:modemst1:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:modemst1:0x280000
(bootloader) partition-type:modemst2:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:modemst2:0x280000
(bootloader) partition-type:fsg:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:fsg:0x280000
(bootloader) partition-type:fsc:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:fsc:0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:system_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:system_a:0x33538000
(bootloader) partition-type:product_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:product_a:0x96ABD000
(bootloader) partition-type:system_ext_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:system_ext_a:0x158CD000
(bootloader) partition-type:vendor_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:vendor_a:0x2D3DE000
(bootloader) partition-type:system_a-cow:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:system_a-cow:0x1D733000
(bootloader) partition-type:product_a-cow:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:product_a-cow:0x56E2E000
(bootloader) partition-type:system_ext_a-cow:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:system_ext_a-cow:0xACBE000
(bootloader) partition-type:vendor_a-cow:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:vendor_a-cow:0x164EE000
1 Like

Looks like installation for this device is problematic :

https://community.e.foundation/search?q=Pixel%204a%20(5G)%20order%3Alatest

https://community.e.foundation/search?q=Bramble%20order%3Alatest

1 Like

I read somewhere there requires a minimal version 31 of fastboot.

But the fastboot embeded in easy-installer snap is older :

/snap/easy-installer/32/easy-installer-linux-x64/bin/adb/fastboot --version
fastboot version 30.0.4-6686687
Installed as /snap/easy-installer/32/easy-installer-linux-x64/bin/adb/fastboot

Confirmed. The manual install instructions https://doc.e.foundation/devices/bramble/install contain this warning

Tip: Outdated fastboot releases dropped legacy A/B support, so it might attempt to flash to boot__a / boot__b rather than boot_a / boot_b if you try to flash boot. In this case, you must update fastboot to a release newer than or equal to 31.0.2. Alternatively, you can manually specify which slot to flash to based on what slot fastboot failed to flash to. For example, if fastboot fails to flash to boot__a, you must flash to boot_a.

and

$ /snap/easy-installer/32/easy-installer-linux-x64/bin/adb/fastboot --version
fastboot version 30.0.4-6686687
Installed as /snap/easy-installer/32/easy-installer-linux-x64/bin/adb/fastboot

Easy Installer -v0.18.1

Hello,
I reinstalled the stock ROM from recovery using
./adb sideload bramble-ota-sq3a.220705.003.a1-1fefa3a0.zip
System now booting :sweat_smile:
Should I try the manual install of /e/OS with fastboot 34.0 ?

Generally best to use latest !

Okay !
Well, I tried to boot on /e/OS recovery-e image :

./fastboot boot recovery-e-1.12.3-s-20230628304336-dev-bramble.img
Sending 'boot.img' (98304 KB)                      OKAY [  3.168s]
Booting                                            (bootloader) boot.img missing cmdline or OS version
OKAY [  1.443s]
Finished. Total time: 4.722s

But it didn’t work
Current slot is back to slot b since OTA sideload btw.
Any reason I can not boot /e/OS recovery ?

I see a fastboot flash command in the manual install instructions ?

Yes it is, but I do not understand:

Temporarily Booting a custom recovery using fastboot

  1. Flash a recovery image onto your device
 fastboot flash vendor_boot recoveryfilename.img

Is it temporarily booting or flashing onto the device ?
I kinda scare to ruin my recovery

PS: I didn’t start the installation procedure it was like a test

I also do not understand the use of Temporarily in this context; we plan to flash a recovery image onto the device.

If in doubt we can cross check with https://wiki.lineageos.org/devices/bramble/install

1 Like

Oh, thanks for that tip :slight_smile:
After piero’s comment

Looks like installation for this device is problematic

And some reading on the forum I begin to consider to have a try to CalyxOS, as it seems to be aimed to Pixels phones.

1 Like

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