Stuck with webinstaller FP5

[Nikkel]

Hi everyone,

I’m new on this forum and a newby with technical stuff. But I’m willing to learn.

I’ve got a FP 5. I tried to use the webinstaller to install /e/OS. But I got stuck. The first steps seem to be easy. The site can connect with my FP5. Downloading the installer works. Then my phone restarts in bootloader mode. But when I try to reconnect something goes wrong. The installer can’t connect to my phone anymore.

I’ve tried three different data cables (USB-A and USB-C), used chrome on a Linux laptop and I used chrome on a windows computer. Nothing seems to change the outcome. I still get stuck at the same place.

Am I doing something wrong? Or has the installer a bug? What can I try to fix this?

[piero]

Hello @Nikkel, Welcome to the /e/ users forum.

[HOWTO] a Clear Guide to install "IMG-e-builds" when /e/ web installer fails

. [e] . because even well illustrated, the “web-installer” often don’t work, and because the install instructions provided by /e/ can be imbuvable for some new users and can lead to errors. here is a safe guide to install /e/OS . . we take the Fairphone 6 as example, but it is the same logical and quite the same process for all the devices that have : only "IMG-e-xxxxxxxxxxx.zip" file on their download page, no "recovery-e-xxxxxxxxxx.img" file on their download page, no "recove…

[ieder1]

Hi Nikkel,

In my case the webinstaller failed too. At least in Windows the fastboot/bootloader mode requires a different driver which did not install automaticaly.

So you might try to put your phone in bootloader mode and search for new drivers (Update > Advanced > Optional) before you start the webinstaller over again. Or just follow the manual installation on Linux which is quite straighforward. In most cases this is the best option because it does not fail.

[Nikkel]

Thank you both for the information. I’ve read it and I’m trying to understand it all.

First question before I proceed. In the “clear guide” is mentioned that the OS you migrate to, has to be of a newer version than the OS you are coming from. Is exactly the date important? In my case:

FPOS latest security patch on my phone is dated 5th of February 2026. And the latest /e/OS is dated 2nd of February 2026. Am I safe when I would migrate now? Or is it in my case better to wait for the next /e/OS update?

My first thought was that it’s the same patch but brought out on a different date. And the same patch is safe. But I dunno if I interpreted it correctly.

[aibd]

@Nikkel

I dunno if I interpreted it correctly. [1]

I would say you are correct. We are informed on the FP6 page that this diff is accounted for. No such info on the FP5 page.

[1] Later edit. Which did you interpret as? I wrote as if you had seen this is a rollback.

This 4 day offset is a relatively new introduction by Google (and leaves uncertainty) but I believe the Index (RIL) is recorded “by the day”.

[Nikkel]

I’ve installed the necessary drivers on windows and used the webinstaller from Murena. This time I could finish the complete installer. But instead of starting /e/OS. My phone got stuck in trying to restart Android. It tried a couple of times. And now I’m stuck at fastboot mode with an unlocked bootloader. If I select start, I see the Fairphone startscreen for a sec and it goes straight back to fastboot mode. How to get out of this?

[piero]

@Nikkel

What can I try to fix this?

@Nikkel

How to get out of this?

Stuck with webinstaller FP5 - #2 by piero

[Nikkel]

Sometimes the most difficult looking path has to be the best choice. I get the hint I should have ignored the webinstaller.

In my logic I started with step 2 by trying to reinstall /e/OS. I get the following message. And I think the linux device can’t find the phone in this state:

[piero]

@Nikkel

I started with step 2

Yes, but,

cd ~Downloads/platform-tools

what are outputs for :

./fastboot --version

./fastboot devices

./fastboot oem device-info

./fastboot flashing get_unlock_ability

[Nikkel]

@piero

./fastboot --version

fastboot version 36.0.2-14143358

./fastboot devices

no permissions (missing udev rules? user is in the plugdev group); see [http://developer.android.com/tools/device.html]	 fastboot

./fastboot oem device-info

< waiting for any device >

./fastboot flashing get_unlock_ability

< waiting for any device >

I copy pasted the answers above.

[aibd]

Notice that your udev rules error includes a url. Go there … is http://developer.android.com/tools/device.html

or check out https://developer.android.com/studio/run/device … Scroll down to

#2 Ubuntu Linux : Set up the following:

[Nikkel]

“id” —> a lot of information incl “46(plugdev)” That means I’m in the Plugdev group?

“apt-get install android-sdk-platform-tools-common” in Root —> “android-sdk-platform-tools-common is already the newest version (28.0.2+9)” That means that the Udev rules are installed?

Then I went back to the questions of Piero to check if something changed:

fastboot version 36.0.2-14143358

“serial number of my FP5” fastboot –> I think I found my device!

(bootloader) Verity mode: true
(bootloader) Device unlocked: true
(bootloader) Device critical unlocked: true
(bootloader) Charger screen enabled: true
OKAY [ 0.001s]
Finished. Total time: 0.001s

(bootloader) get_unlock_ability: 1
OKAY [ 0.001s]
Finished. Total time: 0.001s

It seems I’m connected with my phone again. Can I now proceed with step 2: installing /e/os?

[aibd]

@Nikkel

fastboot version 36.0.2-14143358
“serial number of my FP5” fastboot

Is what you want to see to verify that you have working fastboot communication and you have confirmed “Unlocked”. Remember you are not safe to lock from the dates you provided earlier.

If you are interested to double check plugdev you would simply type

groups

in the terminal and expect to see plugdev in the list.

@Nikkel

that the Udev rules are installed?

Yes

[Nikkel]

@aibd

[1] Later edit. Which did you interpret as? I wrote as if you had seen this is a rollback.

Thanks for bringing this up. Maybe I’m lucky that the webinstaller did not work properly…

@aibd

Remember you are not safe to lock from the dates you provided earlier.

I get it. If I get /e/OS working, I’ll try things out and lock later. Yes I know that locking means you loose your data.

I’m gonna try to proceed with step 2 of the clear guide.

[aibd]

There is a significant risk to locking late.

If you choose to play with /e/OS for a few weeks, fine. However when the dates look ok I would be prepared to roll back to Android again and then reinstall /e/OS.

[Nikkel]

I see the welcome screen of /e/OS! Thanks a lot for your help and patience. I appreciate all the help I got a lot!

I’m gonna check out your link tomorrow. My plan was to check e/OS out and lock the bootloader as soon as the next security patch gets released from e/OS (in about two weeks?).

Just double checking: I understand that it’s better to roll back to FPOS and then reinstall /e/OS? Is there also a hand made instruction off? Or do the instruction pages on the Fairphone website the trick? I mean those two manuals:

https://support.fairphone.com/hc/en-us/articles/18896094650513-How-to-manually-install-Android-on-your-Fairphone

https://support.fairphone.com/hc/en-us/articles/10492476238865-How-to-unlock-and-re-lock-the-bootloader

[piero]

@Nikkel

My plan was to check e/OS out and lock the bootloader as soon as the next security patch gets released from e/OS

just don’t forget to check if unlock_ability is still 1 before relocking.

[aibd]

This page Info about Fairphone FP5 - FP5 links the roll back to Android method (probably what you linked) but do not get involved in any locking during the transition back to Fairphone’s own OS.