i bought a refurbished Pixel 8 reset an android 14 when it arrived. I used the web installer and as instructed updated to the newest available Android version 16, not knowing that this would give me trouble later on.
i went through the webinstaller untip step 16/20 the installation, where i got the small popup message:
“Error on step: go-to-apply-update
Cannot read properties of undefined (reading ‘command’)”
the phone was stuck at the Google screen and i could only reboot it into the fastboot menu.
i cant use the recovery or rescue modes, if i do i only get to the white Google screen
fastboot shows
product revision shiba mp1.0 b1
bootloader version ripcurrent-16.4-14540574
baseband version g5300i-251202-260127-B-14784800
serial numer {id}
secure boot PRODUCTION
NOS production yes
DRAM 8GB Micron
UFS 128GB Micron
device state unlocked
boot slot b
enter reason vol down pressed
uart disabled
now if i understood correctly from the other thread, not all hope is lost. but i struggle to move on from here, ive never done this before, starting with selecting the correct factory image from google to reset my phone.
pc is on linux, fastboot devices does detect the phone, but i really need help to correct this mess. any help would be much appreciated. user tcecyk seemed to be very helpful, but i dont know how to contact them, if thats possible.
Im sorry, but i dont understand how that link without context is supposed to help me in my current situation.
my phone is stuck, either in the fastboot screen or in the unsuccessful boot loop and i have to fix this first before i can think about installing eOS any other way
❯ fastboot getvar current-slot
current-slot: b
Finished. Total time: 0.000s
~
❯ fastboot getvar has-slot:boot
fastboot getvar has-slot:init_boot
fastboot getvar has-slot:vendor_kernel_boot
has-slot:boot: yes
Finished. Total time: 0.000s
has-slot:init_boot: yes
Finished. Total time: 0.000s
has-slot:vendor_kernel_boot: yes
Finished. Total time: 0.000s
~
❯ fastboot getvar slot-unbootable:a
fastboot getvar slot-unbootable:b
slot-unbootable:a: yes
Finished. Total time: 0.000s
slot-unbootable:b: no
Finished. Total time: 0.000s
i managed to restore google OS to the build 16.0.0 (CP1A.260505.005, May 2026), which i assumed i had before i tried installing eOS, because of the auto update. Phone is still unlocked.
Sorry, but i dont understand, how that tutorial should work for me, when it explicitly says that Android 15 is needed and i cant safely downgrade it since the May2025 Update. Can you elaborate?