Samsung - Galaxy Tab S5e (LTE) - gts4lv - Documentation Suggestions

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I could successfully install e0.21r on my Galaxy Tab S5e LTE.
Overall the instructions are fine - I would add that only Windows can be used for the Odin part. I used Windows and for adb I switched back to Linux
Also I would suggest to it make clearer to use TWRP for custom recovery installation using Odin

Hi,
yesterday I installed /e/OS 1.17 on a Samsung SM-725 gts4lv with the newest Android 11. The steps until I could install vbmeta.tar differed much from the installation instruction. So I write them down here for anyone else who might find them helpful. I hope, I don’t miss a step. This is not a complete instruction. The original https://doc.e.foundation/devices/gts4lv/install still applies, besides my deviations.

Download Mode

To get my tablet into download mode I had to do the following: Power off, press Volume up + Power, which starts the recovery. In the recovery select “Boot to bootloader”. This starts the download mode for installing vbmeta.tar.

Unlock the bootloader before installing vbmeta.tar

Connected to the PC with Odin running, trying to install vbmeta.tar results in an error message: “Only official released binaries are allowed to be flashed (vbmeta)” There is already a post on this https://community.e.foundation/t/got-stuck-odin-fails-to-flash-vbmeta-tar-only-official-released-binaries-are-allowed-to-be-flashed-vbmeta/39213. From there, I thought downgrading the original firmware to Android 10 may help, but the device did not allow the downgrade. So it seemed necessary to unlock the bootloader:

Power off the device. Press Volume up + Volume down while the device is connected to the PC. The device switches on (yes, without pressing the power button) and the unlock menu appears. Follow the instructions of the menu to unlock the bootloader.

Afterwards, set up the WiFi connection and developer options and the USB debugging again.

To come into the download mode while the bootloader is unlocked, do the same as above, do not follow the instruction on the screen to press the power button to continue. If you do, the OS is starting.

Now it should be possible to install vbmeta.tar with Odin.

Again set up the WiFi connection and developer options and the USB debugging again.

The installation of TWRP and subsequent /e/OS worked as described. However, I had to install TWRP several times because I did not mind the caution in the instructions: Caution: Be sure to reboot into recovery immediately after installing the custom recovery. If you don’t the custom recovery will be overwritten on boot.

A comment on locking the bootloader again: This doesn’t work.

I would highly appreciate, if anybody knows a possibility to install /e/OS on this device under Android 11 without unlocking the bootloader.

You must unlock the bootloader to install a custom ROM. Only a few devices are capable to lock the bootloader again:

The Fairphone 5 I suppose can relock bootloader too?!
For Samsung devices to the best of my knowledge you cannot relock bootloader again

Thank you for pointing me to the list of devices. So there is no chance to lock the bootloader again.

My problem with unlocking the bootloader was, that the instructions didn’t cover all steps, to do it.