Samsung Galaxy A5 2016 a5xelte in bootloop after updating /e/ OS

Hi,
I don’t know if I’m in the right section to post this.
I’ve used e 0.12 since yesterday, I received the notification that the 0.16 was available, I downloaded it on my phone via wi-fi and installed it. Then the phone began to reboot but stayed in a bootloop.
I can enter into Recovery (Team Win Recovery Project) , I did a wipe (Data, Cache and Dalvik ; not the Advanced Wipe) and tried to reboot but it still stays in a bootloop.
How could I boot it successfully ? It doesn’t matter to me if it passed to 0.16 or if it stayed in 0.12.
The e 0.12 zip is still in my internal storage if that can help, maybe I could reinstall it properly but I don’t really know how to proceed.

Thanks in advance

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

Hi @John.Doe, Not sure if the problem is the same as I have installed and updated /e/ on an A3 and an A5 (2017). But you could try @SuzieQ’s solution that she gave to someone who ended in a bootloop like you on the 2017 version. It involves using ADB to sideload the newer version.

Thank you for responding.
I had difficulties using ADB the first time I installed e OS.
Instead I used this solution : [HOWTO] Install /e/ on a Samsung smartphone with Windows easily with Odin.
Since I still have TWRP working on my phone could I use this solution again (the one in the link) skipping the first 7 parts and beginning at 8) Install /e/ with TWRP ?
It doesn’t matter to me if I lose my data as long as I can use my phone again with a “clean” installation.

Yes, I think it should probably work as long as you do a factory reset since your first flash without this didn’t work. Since you installed /e/OS quite recently I suppose there is no change in Android version. Was the e-0.12xxx zip file that you first used a Q version? It will have ‘q’ in the filename. If it was the Pie version then you are upgrading, and so a complete wipe (factory reset) and then advanced wipe of system, data, & cache is necessary.

As your phone was probably encrypted this is why you have to go to such lengths. Does TWRP ask for your screenlock PIN to decrypt?

The e-0.12 zip was a Pie version and now the 0.16 is a Q version.
The complete wipe (factory reset) can be done with TWRP ? Will it erase TWRP also ?
If i just do the advanced wipe with :

  • Dalvik / ART Cache
  • Data
  • Internal Storage
  • cache
  • system
    it won’t be enough ?
    TWRP doesn’t ask for a screenlock PIN to decrypt but I never defined one.
    Also I wonder if I can install /e/ OS with the TWRP version I have or if I should update it too. When I searched for the e 0.16 version I noticed there is also a link for recovery e 0.16 and I’m not sure if it’s indispensable to use the new recovery version.

The A5 2016 ‘a5xelte’ usually comes with the latest stock Android 7.0 (Nougat). Therefore, an OS change is particularly easy.

If losing any data is not important for you - then I recommend a ‘clean install’. This starts a new era for the ‘a5xelte’. A clean install is first choice, even if there are the described alternatives.

PS: Wiping ‘Internal Storage’ is not mandatory.

Thanks for your help.
I’m really not an expert with this, what would you call a “clean install” ?
If I go to the actual TWRP I have, and do an advanced wipe as mentioned earlier (just the advanced wipe, not a factory reset), then copy the e 0.16 zip on the internal storage and install it would it be OK ?

Besides TWRP, /e/Recovery can also be used. Although the functionality of eRecovery is less than TWRP, but the /e/OS installation together with the OTA update management runs great.

My recommendation:

1. Format data [is not identical with swipe /data]
2. /Cache(s)
3. /data
4. /System

OK.
In the end I just pasted the e OS 0.16 zip in the internal storage and installed it with TWRP (not the newest TWRP, the one I already had).
After the installation, wipe cache/dalvik and then Reboot system.
It boots successfully but then I have this notification :
“Android System :
There’s an internal problem with your device. Contact your manufacturer for details.”
It doesn’t seem to be a real problem, the OS seems to work fine, at first I thought the internal storage had been erased, I didn’t have my photos anymore, then they appeared later. Maybe it’s just because I logged in my e account and everything was restored without any action from me.

Anyway thanks again for your help !

The “internal problem” warning seems to be a problem with this generation of Samsungs after the upgrade to e-0.16 as my partner’s A3 shows the same thing at every reboot, but works just the same. The developers are aware of the problem and one hopes that the next OTA update (not upgrade!) will fix the problem.

Glad that you got your A5 working.

Not sure if the following can be helpful for other systems, but here how I manage to update a Samsung Galaxy A5 2016 (SM-A510F, image a5xelte)

I use this howto with ODIN (v3.13.3) and twrp-3.5.2_9-0-a5xelte.img.tar (newer version do not work).

Starting January-February 2023, this phone download and install the updates and then turn off. Don’t think I see the bootloop you mention since February but result is similar.

Today’s protocol:
a. image samsung/lineage_a5xelte/axelte:10/QQ3A.200805.001/eng.root.20230416.202650 downloaded per wifi, and installed
b. Phone turned off (battery full loaded)
c. Connect phone to PC
d. Follow Howto
d1. Start ODIN on PC; put phone in download mode, connect to PC per USB
d2. Select twrp-3.5.2_9-0-a5xelte.img.tar in AD module and Start process
d3. Reboot phone to twrp
→ Image is patched unconditionally, see picture:

Result: Phone reboot, newest image applied, no data loss. User Happy :slight_smile: