Samsung - Galaxy A5 (2017) - a5y17lte - Documentation Suggestions

eOSWiki Documentation Suggestions
1

Please add your suggestions to improve the documentation for the Samsung - Galaxy A5 (2017) - a5y17lte here …

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Hello,
I have some suggestions to improve the documentation even further:

  1. I upgraded from /e/ OS Pie to Q without Wiping the storage despite I had my storage encrypted. It worked without any problem, all data is where it was before (I used TWRP 3.5.0). It would be annoying if I had stuck on the documentation, because then all my data would be gone. Why it is saying you have to Wipe everything before upgrading?
  2. The Link to the Stock ROM isn’t working, it says “Page not found”. For me it worked always without flashing the ROM first (also without any disadvantages)
1 Like
3

The instructions about enetering recovery mode from download mode need to be improved by importing the bits missing that are now in the lineage wiki:

  • A blue transfer bar will appear on the device showing the recovery image being flashed.

info_outline

Note: The device will continue to display Downloading... Do not turn off target!! even after the process is complete. When the status message in the top left of the device’s display reports that the process is complete, you may proceed.

  • Unplug the USB cable from your device.
  • Manually reboot into recovery, this may require pulling the device’s battery out and putting it back in, or if you have a non-removable battery, press the Volume Down + Power buttons for 8~10 seconds until the screen turns black & release the buttons immediately when it does, then boot to recovery:
  • With the device powered off, hold Volume Up + Home + Power.

info_outline

Note: Be sure to reboot into recovery immediately after installing the custom recovery. If you don’t the stock ROM will overwrite the custom recovery with the stock recovery, and you’ll need to flash it again.

1 Like
4

Hi,
After being followed the tuto, I had a problem with the sim card compatibility (not recognized at all): I think there were an incompatibility with the firmware delivered with the phone. I flashed a newer stock ROM from 2020/12/16 and re-followed the tuto and now all works good.

I advice you to check your firmware version before starting the [tuto]. Normally you can see info in the “/system/build.prop” file, I don’t know more about the versions with the bug on not.

sorry for my english :smile:

5

after one +1 month of testing on my Galaxy A5 (2015) SM-A510F, the testing result was satisfactory.
I have decided to move forward.
Just installed /e/OS v1.7 (R) on my Galaxy A5 (2017) SM-A520F.
works good so far.
I will use /e/OS as my daily driver.

Thank you so much.

1 Like
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Hello, I have been using /e/OS on my A5 2017 for over a year now. I’ve really enjoyed it.
However, for certain reasons I have to switch this phone back to the stock Samsung firmware. I’ve downloaded the firmware from the site, and it contains 5 files.
I almost bricked my phone trying to install that file the way I did /e/. I realized they are supposed to be installed differently, and the instructions aren’t provided on samsung’s site, or on this site. How can I install it using linux without odin? I have TWRP and /e/ on this phone currently.

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Odin and Windows is the easiest way to go as described in documentation https://doc.e.foundation/pages/revert_samsung_to_stock_on_windows.html.

You might be guided to do the job with Heimdall with this [HOWTO] (Needs expert review) Flash Galaxy s9+ to Stock Android 10 using heimdall-gui.

1 Like
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Thanks! I will try this and give an update.

9

Hello,
I installed “/e/os” last year on my smartphone “Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017)” - “a5y17lte”, and I am very satisfied with it.
However, I am disappointed that the /e/os foundation has classified this phone as “legacy” and so I no longer have any system updates since July 18, 2024.
So I embarked on the adventure of creating a ROM (Build the /e/OS ROM) and I managed to create my first ROM today:
/srv/e/zips/a5y17lte/e-2.3-r-20241028-UNOFFICIAL-a5y17lte.zip
However, I am doubtful, because I would have liked to “upgrade” my phone (system update) and not be forced to reinstall it completely.
Is there a way to get a “system update” after Build a ROM ?
My current version is:
/e/OS/2.2-r20240718418512-dev-a5y17lte
Thanks in advance for your help.
Ricardo

1 Like
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Congratulations @rican on your first ROM build.

This link android - How to use Lineage OS OTA in AOSP projects? - Stack Overflow provides some guidance. A search online (for Lineage build OTA) will find other guides … the /e/OS Updater is expected to work very much the same as LineageOS; it seems a lot of work and I never tried it.

Is this what you found already ?

I would expect that you can simply adb sideload

  • your build e-2.3-r-20241028-UNOFFICIAL-a5y17lte.zip
  • over the current e-2.2-r20240718418512-dev-a5y17lte

but if you see an error, please share it.

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Hello @aibd,
Thank you very much for your help!
I am tempted to use the “adb sideload” command but I am afraid that it will overwrite important data on my phone.
Are you sure that this command acts as a system update without overwriting personal data and added applications?
Thanks in advance for your answer.
Ricardo

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I have used adb sideload with my builds on two devices over a period of over 2 years with no data loss … the method has been recommended on the forum countless times … I do not recall anyone reporting suffering data loss as a direct result of sideload. Of course one should always have a backup of essentials before any intervention.

(For more reassurance, you could unzip your build and study the contents. The updater.script is likely found at /META-INF/com/google/android/updater-script and from that it should be fairly clear that the script only intends to target SYSTEM.)

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Ok, thank you for your answers, I will try the operation at the end of the week. Kind regards, Ricardo.

14

Hello,
I just tried to install my Build ROM (UNOFFICIAL) and it doesn’t work.
I followed the procedure :
Put phone in Recovery mode
Select “Apply Update” and in next screen “Apply update from adb”
In the next screen, the device is now in sideload mode

on PC :

adb sideload e-2.3-r-20241105-UNOFFICIAL-a5y17lte.zip

I get the following error on the phone screen:
ERROR : recovery signature verification failed
ERROR : recovery: error : 21
ERROR : recovery error in /sideload/package.zip (status 1)

Can you help me?
Ricardo

15

One possibility is that your build does not share the same “signature” as what is currently installed. Is e-Recovery currently installed? If yes

… try to Heimdall flash your own built recovery first, then adb sideload.

If using TWRP is there a checkbox to “don’t check signature verification”.

1 Like
16

Hello, thanks for your help, finally I managed to install on my smartphone the ROM that I built myself:
e-2.3-r-20241116-UNOFFICIAL-a5y17lte.zip

I downloaded the RECOVERY with the Heimdall command, but I used the latest version of “Recovery TWRP”, because the build did not generate a “/e/os Recovery” !!!
heimdall flash --RECOVERY recovery.img --no-reboot

Then, I installed the ROM with:
adb sideload e-2.3-r-20241116-UNOFFICIAL-a5y17lte.zip

Now, I have two more questions:
. will it still be possible to continue updating the system with new versions of /e/os?
. can I upgrade Android version from version 11 (R/LOS 18.1) to version 12 (S/LOS 19.1)?

Thanks in advance for your help.
Ricardo

2 Likes
17

Did you look in /out/target/samsung/a5y17lte/ ?

No, 2.3 was the last “R” version from /e/team,
BUT if your find upgraded sources on XDA (LOS 19, 20, 21), then it may be possible to build later /e/ version (using the traditionnal way, not sure for docker…).