Pixel 5 stuck in Fastboot Mode

[mapi]

Hey everyone

I was following this guide to install /e/OS on a Pixel 5 after having made good experiences with it on my Fairphone 4. I made it to successfully flashing the custom recovery image, but booting into recovery fails after showing a Google logo leaving me again in Fastboot Mode.
The phone was on Android 12 before which might be a problem judging from this previous post. Running fastboot devices still shows the device.
Any ideas how I can best proceed from this state, what are my options?

Many thanks in advance, best
Marius

[smu44]

Hi,

Try the TWRP method: Google Pixel 5

[mapi]

Thanks for the answer. I downloaded the latest twrp image and run the command with the following results:

:~$ fastboot boot ./Downloads/twrp-3.7.0_11-0-redfin.img 
Sending 'boot.img' (98304 KB)                      OKAY [  4.692s]
Booting                                            (bootloader) boot.img missing cmdline or OS version
FAILED (remote: 'Error verifying the received boot.img: Volume Corrupt')
fastboot: error: Command failed

What could this mean?

[aibd]

@mapi

Any ideas how I can best proceed from this state, what are my options?

Just a word of background info. The /e/ install instructions seem to be missing a red ink paragraph which once read,

Caution: Do not install /e/OS on top of a higher version of stock OS. Before installing /e/OS ensure your device has the latest stock OS of the same version as /e/OS. If only lower versions of the stock are available then install the last available lower version before installing /e/OS.

This is really the background to the suggestion you already linked by @chrisrg.

If you continue to read that link, the method can all be done from fastboot, but you have to resolve the Android 12 Android 11 issue, first.

I would be inclined to do that job within the “manufacturer system” and test, then come back to these install instructions.

[TripleJ]

Hi mapi,

You are on Android 11, right ?

I understand you are stuck with this command line, correct ?
“fastboot flash boot recoveryfilename.img”

Does it make a difference if you don’t have “flash” in your command line ?

Shouldn’t you have the .img file in the same folder as the fastboot app ? in adb-fastboot/platform-tools

[PierreT]

Hello,

I have a similar problem.

I tried to install /e/OS on a Pixel 5 following this guide (https://doc.e.foundation/devices/redfin/install) but something wrong happen during he custom recovery installation.
The phone was previously on Android 13. And I enable USB debbuging and OEM unlock.

I’m still in Fastboot mode with:
Device state: unlocked
Enter reason error boot prepare

I’m not able to boot or flash anymore. I’m lost.
When using the fastboot devices command I get a return with y phone ID
When using the adb devices command I get nothing.

Can anyone try to help me please?

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

[aibd]

@PierreT

error boot prepare

This can happen from any number of simple reasons. Did you remove all accounts from the device and then Factory reset before you started the install.

Have you a recent version of fastboot?

fastboot --version

[PierreT]

Thank you for your help @aibd

There was no account in the device. I check that before trying to install /e/OS.
I didn’t perform a factory reset before starting the installation.

When I launch the fastboot --versioncommand I get:
fastboot version 34.0.5-10900879

Following the guide I firstly try to unlock the bootloader. But at step 4 (fastboot devices) I was able to see my phone.
So I try with the Easy Installer. It helps me to achieved this step, installing a recovery and tysing to install the /e/OS. But the installation failed with a signature problem. I saw after that that Android 12 was required for Esay installer and the phone was in Android 13.
So I try using step by step command again using the guide (https://doc.e.foundation/devices/redfin/install). The bootloader seems unlock as I see Device state: unlocked. But I cannot flash a recovery image. No flash comands works.

[piero]

Android 13 is now supported (since the end of september).

https://images.ecloud.global/dev/redfin/

But you are right, not yet by the easy-installer

[PierreT]

Yes, thank you @piero.
I also find Android 13 using this link : https://images.ecloud.global/stable/redfin/
It seems to be a stable image of Android 13 (/e/OS “T” I think)

But I didn’t manage to flash the recovery downloaded with this link by using the command:
fastboot flash vendor_boot recoveryfilename.img

I see 2 .img files in the recovery.zip:
recovery-e-1.16-t
vendor_boot-e-1.16-t
Which one should I use?

[mat_me]

Literally two days ago I managed to install /e/OS 1.16 (T) stable on Pixel 5

There is a discussion about missing partitions in version 1.16 but recovery-IMG-e-1.16-t-20231017342511-stable-redfin.zip contains files: dtbo, recovery and vendor_boot so I decided to give it a try.

At first I tried to flash everything at once using:
fastboot flash vendor_boot recovery-IMG-e-1.16-t-20231017342511-stable-redfin.zip
No error appeared but it seems to be the wrong command and failed to reboot to recovery

In the post “Feedback for v1.16” there is information from @Duper about installing on Pixel 6 Pro.
I tried to get boot.img using Payload Dumper but with no result so I downloaded boot.img directly from LineageOS as suggested by @Manoj

And I continued with the following steps:

fastboot flash boot boot.img
fastboot flash vendor_boot vendor_boot-e-1.16-t-20231017342511-stable-redfin.img

and after reboot to /e/ recovery and “Factory Reset”

adb sideload e-1.16-t-20231017342511-stable-redfin.zip
As suggested by @Duper using adb sideload a second time for slot B

I then locked the bootloader:
fastboot erase avb_custom_key
fastboot flash avb_custom_key pkmd_pixel.bin
fastboot flashing lock

As you can see my actions are a bit chaotic, I didn’t flash the recovery and forgot about the dtbo partition but /e/ recovery somehow found its way to the Pixel and the system booted properly.
Maybe flashing the ZIP file has uploaded the inside of it though ?

[mat_me]

And now a question for more advanced users

Is the dtbo partition necessary for the correct operation of the system ?

Is there a chance that an OTA update to /e/1.17 (T) will fix my chaotic actions during installation ?

[PierreT]

Thank you @mat_me

I try your recommendation.

1. I boot into fastboot mode via a key combination:

• With the device powered off
• hold Volume Down + Power

2. I run fastboot devices command and get an aswer. The PC finds my phone.

3. I previously downloaded the boot.img from LineageOS and run the command ./fastboot flash boot ../boot.img
   But I get the following return:
   Sending 'boot_a' (98304 KB) OKAY [ 3.330s]
Writing 'boot_a' FAILED (Status read failed (Protocol error))
fastboot: error: Command failed

I don’t manage to understand where the problem is

[mat_me]

I see I have fastboot version 28.0.2-debian, you have newer so probably better.

To make sure we are using the same boot.img I used one with a SHA256 signature
953196a55e96f4db2483343f5368713ef87e8bc643a63ab7fc25309622fd4c67 from lineage-20.0-20231030-nightly-redfin-signed

I don’t find much information on (Status read failed (Protocol error)) but the LineageOS manual itself, when dealing with fastboot problems, mentions:
“you may want to try a different USB port (preferably a USB Type-A 2.0 one) or a USB hub”.
so you may want to try different cables and USB ports or even a different computer/laptop

If it helps I would probably use the LineageOS installation instructions now using the available files from /e/OS so:

fastboot flash boot boot.img
fastboot flash dtbo dtbo-e-1.16-t-20231017342511-stable-redfin.img

It seems that recovery is vendor_boot in Android 13 ? so:
fastboot flash vendor_boot vendor_boot-e-1.16-t-20231017342511-stable-redfin.img

and after reboot to /e/ recovery and “Factory Reset” :
adb sideload e-1.16-t-20231017342511-stable-redfin.zip

As recommended by @Duper: “You should also flash the second slot once your setup is complete” so "reboot to bootloader and without Factory Reset again:

adb sideload e-1.16-t-20231017342511-stable-redfin.zip

Please check the more detailed instructions in case I missed something.

[PierreT]

Thank you very much @mat_me for your help. I’ve been able to go through a number of stages and get the recovery back on track. I’m not there yet but this is encouraging because I was lost. Thanks!

Here are the details:

The boot.img as the same SHA-256 hash as yours.

1. I try another USB port. Then:
   fastboot flash boot boot.img
   => It’s OK

2. I follow your guideline
   fastboot flash dtbo dtbo-e-1.16-t-20231017342511-stable-redfin.img
   => Sending and writing OK

3. Then
   fastboot flash vendor_boot vendor_boot-e-1.16-t-20231017342511-stable-redfin.img
   => Sending and writing OK

4. I launch without rebooting the adb sideload e-1.16-t-20231017342511-stable-redfin.zipcommand
   => KO. I get:
   adb: sideload connection failed: no devices/emulators found
   adb: trying pre-KitKat sideload method…
   adb: pre-KitKat sideload connection failed: no devices/emulators found

5. I understand that I made a mistake. From fast boot menu, I choose reboot to recovery using Volume Down + Power
   => The phone reboots. I saw the Google logo and then the droid open with the red warning symbol. KO.

6. Unplugged the USB cable. Reboot again to recovery using Volume Down + Power.
   => It’s OK. I get the /e/ recovery

7. As mentioned by @Duper :
   in recovery wipe data(factory reset)
   then select apply update from adb
   adb sideload e-1.16-t-20231017342511-stable-redfin.zip
   => I get error messages Signature verification failed. I choose No for install anyway

8. I retry: wipe data > apply update from adb
   I see from the PC that adb sideload still fails to serve the file at 24%, with a message on the PC terminal: « adb: failed to read command: Success »
   On the phone I see several I/O error and then Signature verification failed

For information I see « Active slot: a » in the recovery.

This is where I am now. I’m trying to understand what’s blocking adb sideload

[PierreT]

Hi everybody,

Problem is solved. Thanks a lot!

I use another PC to perform the adb sideload and it works. It seems to be an issue with the USB port.

So here are my steps:

1. Access the fastboot mode on the phone

2. Launch those commands:
   fastboot flash boot boot.img (from LineageOS)
   fastboot flash dtbo dtbo-e-1.16-t-20231017342511-stable-redfin.img
fastboot flash vendor_boot vendor_boot-e-1.16-t-20231017342511-stable-redfin.img
adb sideload ../e/e-1.16/e-1.16-t-20231017342511-stable-redfin.zip

The process stops at 47%. This seems to be well-known. The phone shows that the 2 steps are OK.

3. The recovery ask me to reboot to perform another install. I choose yes and then get back in recovery with “Active slot: b.”. I didn’t need to do fastboot —set-active=b.
   So I then relaunch:
   adb sideload ../e/e-1.16/e-1.16-t-20231017342511-stable-redfin.zip

4. /e/OS boots

5. I lock the bootloader and disable OEM unlocking as indicated in the guide: https://doc.e.foundation/devices/redfin/install

6/ /e/OS 1.16 is here. I’m happy to use the OS and Murena services from this device

If you encounter a problem with an adb command or file transfer for instance, try with other USB ports, cable or a different PC.

Thank you again to all of you for your help and advice.

[mat_me]

Thanks for the update, great to hear that everything worked out

That reminded me about OEM unlocking.
E.g. in this post there is some information about it:

FP4: easy installer did not lock bootloader after installation, should i lock the bootloader manually after using e os already?

Hello everyone, I have a question. I used the easy installer to install e os on my Fairphone 4 and it worked almost perfectly. But after it installed e os it did not lock the bootloader, I think the app crashed or something. I didn’t realize that at the time and just started using e os on that device. I already checked fastboot flashing get_unlock_ability and it returned 1. Should I lock the bootloader manually, like in the instructions, [image] https://doc.e.foundation/devices/FP4/instal…

@ff2u gives there a link to the Fairphone forum where there is a detailed explanation at the end.

It seems that leaving OEM unlocking enabled leaves the possibility for recovery e.g. when the system won’t boot.

The Pixel 5 is treated as stable in /e/OS but I think I’ll wait at least until a successful OTA update before blocking myself from a clean install from scratch.

[PierreT]

Hello,

It seems that with e-1.17 (Android T), a new boot.img has been provided. I read it on this forum but I’m not able to find it anymore.
It may replace the boot.img from LineageOS that I used a couple weeks ago.
So, to be tested …

[mat_me]

Hello.

With me, the OTA update to version 1.17 (T) went smoothly and everything seems to be working properly.

Flashing the new version of boot.img requires unlocking the bootloader which results in deleting all data and I already use the phone as primary so I’m not likely to do that.

Perhaps boot is also updated during OTA just like recovery ?

[PierreT]

Hello,

For information, I installed /e/OS on another Pixel 5, without the easy installer and therefore still via the command lines. With the right usb-c cable (a short cable) everything went very well in just a few minutes
I followed the instructions exactly: https://doc.e.foundation/devices/redfin/install.

I would add a detail mentioned in this post https://community.e.foundation/t/pixel-5-stuck-in-fastboot-mode/44671/16 and read in other messages on this forum. The installation is done on a slot, “a” or “b” (refer to the “Install /e/OS” chapter). After step 7, the recovery ask me to reboot to perform another install. I choose yes and then get back in recovery with the other active slot. I launch the install command again:
adb sideload downloaded_file_name.zip
I don’t know if it’s mandatory but it works well for me.