For trying to install /e/OS on FP5, initially I tried using the easy installer until it reached an “Error on step: connect-bootloader” message. Looking this up, I saw that this should be done manually over adb for FP5, so I looked at this guide, which said to check the “Android Security Patch Level” against the latest /e/OS builds on that page.
I don’t have exactly that entry under Android Version, but under “Android security update”, which I guess is the A14 equivalent, it says “5 June 2025”, while the latest /e/OS builds on the above guide have “Security Patch: 2025-06-01”, which is older.
Since the phone said it was trying to run updates when it had asked me to connect to the internet in order to unlock the bootloader, I don’t know whether the phone came with this update or it might have inconveniently run a quick security update, but I hadn’t checked this version before so I can’t be sure.
With both being 2 months out of date, should I expect an update very soon, or will I need to wait some weeks now before I can install /e/OS on this phone?
Why is /e/ just a few days out of date compared to A14 on a security update 2 months later anyway?
Part of the guide also says “Rollback protection errors are IGNORED when the bootloader is UNLOCKED”, but doesn’t explain exactly what that means in any of its examples.
I’m guessing having an unlocked bootloader doesn’t mean that the phone is safe from rollback protection, because the unlocked bootloader should be required for installation.
That means if you downgrade security patch (installing an older android version or the same version but with older patch) and you DON’T LOCK THE BOOTLOADER after that, you won’t brick your device.
Does that mean it would be possible to install /e/ 3.0.4 now (old sec patch), and then I would get an OTA update to 3.1 and be safe to lock the bootloader after that?
Or am I looking at having to fully download and wipe-install it over adb a second time?
same problem here - does anyone know if the easy installer would detect the security patch issue? (It fails to connect to the bootloader in my case… probably not related)
update:
the installer did not seem to care that I was installing e OS with an older security patch level - it did not ask or attempt to lock bootloader (so I am fine)
The problem with connecting to the device was resolved by updating drivers (when the phone was connected)
I’m in the same situation – I have a (new) FP5[1], which (after some over-the-air upgrades) has 3.0.4-t-20250709507786-official-FP5 (Android 13) which the “About phone” page describes as having “Android security update: 5 June 2025”; I want to upgrade to the A14-official build, the current version of which is still 3.0.4-a14-20250708507308-official, and the install page implies that has “Security patch: 2025-06-01”.
I wondered if the difference was spurious, since the Android Security Bulletin—June 2025 has “2025-06-01” in its URL. However, I think it could be real: that bulletin describes two security patch levels, 2025-06-01 and 2025-06-05, with the latter addressing additional vulnerabilities.
So, while I don’t know for sure that IMG-e-3.0.4-a14-20250708507308-official-FP5 has the older of these patch levels (on a quick search, I didn’t find a way to identify the security patch level of a .img-based distribution without installing it on a phone), it’s plausible.
Currently (according to this update from a few days ago), the next /e/OS release, 3.1.1, is hoped to be released in the “second week of August” (i.e., imminently). We can hope it has a newer security patch level; I’ve asked.
Maybe this is of interest to you: Today 14.8.25 I tried installing via easy installer - this said the installation was complete but the phone was stuck in the bootloader menu. With the bootloader already unlocked I ran the script in Git Bash for Windows as per instructions - this installed and worked.
The security patch level I got was 1st of June 2025 in the current e os installation (the previous FP5 android security patch level was 5th of June) - so I am not locking the bootloader!!! (as my understanding is that this would brick (make useless) my phone). The file I downloaded and used for installation was named: IMG-e-3.0.4-a14-20250708507308-official-FP5 .
I will now be playing around with the phone and syncing it with murena.io - and will aim to lock the bootloader when a newer security patch level arrives (AFTER 5th of June)
The misunderstanding that happened in my case was that the easy installer was recommending newest firmware on the device before proceeding (1st page) - I did an update which led to a newer security patch level - in hindsight I should have tried to avoid this.
Thanks for confirming that. (So the rollback is a real concern.)
The next release (now 3.1.x) has been pushed back indefinitely, according to today’s update.
This uncertainty is blocking me bringing my new FP5 into use, so I guess I’ll have to research deeper whether a transient rollback while unlocked makes it unsafe to lock the bootloader forever, or take my chances. (If anyone else finds out for sure, please post here?)
I noticed that the other fp5 in our family ist still running Android 13 (this version has SPL 5th of June) - so in theory one might be able to use the newest version of the Android 13 version - which has the same SPL (5th of June) - and then wait for a regular Android 14 update (OTA)… My understanding is that the android version is not relevant gegarding the bootloader problem, only the SPL. (thinking out loud..)
When I tried to use the ‘easy installer’, it got stuck at step 22/24 with an error saying: Cannot execute command connect bootloader Cannot execute command flash modem_a modem.img error getting blob file modem.img
However, I was then told on the /e/ forum that for FP5 you should just use ADB to flash the image, not easy installer, so I did that.
Getting 3.0.4 on there was quite simple after the easy installer had already led me through the unlocking process (although based on their guide, even that bit of preparation is not very complex using adb anyway), but now here we are nearly a month after the next update was due “any other day”.
After a couple of weeks trying /e/OS, the more I set up the phone how I like it and restore things from my dying FP2, the more annoying it is that I’ll have to repeat it all once the update is out and the phone will be wiped when I get to re-lock the bootloader.
Here’s hoping that the next update enables battery charge limiting! Not being able to automatically protect the battery is a small constant nuisance. An app that did the job for me on FP2 no longer works on FP5.
The FP5 Android 14 image, e-3.1.1-a14-20250828521479-official, is on the official images page. The release notes say “This /e/OS 3.1.1 version includes the Android security patches available as of August, 1st 2025.” (The install page still claims SPL 2025-06-01 for “/e/OS build : A14 official”, but I think that’s just not been updated yet.)
So I think this should work as an upgrade from 3.0.4-a14-…-official with its SPL of 2025-06-05, without triggering rollback protection. (Edit: and here is someone who looks to have proved that.)
(I haven’t tried it yet, but this should unblock my moving from my dying FP2 to my new FP5 – unlike 4ndy, I’ve held off configuring the FP5, but I really want to have moved by the end of the week).
I have successfully applied this update via the fastboot-based install shell script, and re-locked my bootloader, and all went smoothly and seems well, so I’m now setting things up / transferring stuff.
(just keep it together a little bit longer, FP2)
Update: /e/OS 3.1.1 now also includes an ‘official’ Android 15 build for the FP5, for the first time. (I’m still avoiding it because of fingerprint sensor uncertainty.)
