If they already locked the bootloader (and didn’t brick), it doesn’t really matter if they got hit by that bug. Once the bootloader is locked, the OEM unlocking switch can just be toggled again.
CalyxOS for example, by default, automatically resets get_unlock_ability after the first successful boot, for security reasons. (That we already knew)
Whether that applies to booting an unlocked system as well, is something I’m trying to find out at the moment.
If that’s the case, it might explain some of the confusion around this issue. Maybe there weren’t so many people affected by the bootloader bug after all and some just experienced a feature
Huh, that’s a curious case
Not sure if there’s a misunderstandig at some point (or I don’t get it). The user started on a supposedly locked Calyx, but in the next post seems to be running DivestOS (how?), and ulimately fixed the problem using the Magisk method, which isn’t possible on a locked bootloader (and wouldn’t make sense, since you fake a locked bootloader with it).
The normal flow is, Calyx installed, bootloader locked, get_unlock_ability reset to 0.
To unlock the bootloader the switch in Developer Settings can just be set to on.
That’s what I’ve been doing all evening and so far the install process hasn’t failed me.
Now if you don’t lock the bootloader (going against the device-flasher instructions) and boot into the system, get_unlock_ability does get reset as well.
At that point, following the first run wizards suggestion to reboot the phone and lock it, does carry a risk.
I’ve asked the devs already, if that reset is a bug, or a side-effect of the feature mentioned above and if it’s the latter, whether they would consider removing that prompt and direct people to just using the device-flasher again.
I understood the toggle was set to off and greyed out and if this is the case, you cant enable,or?
Might be a curious case or many have this without knowing, because when the system runs smoothly and you would not want to flash something you wouldnt notice I guess…
The good thing is CalyxOS seem to have found a way to prevent issues
If the phone was locked with CalyxOS installed and OEM unlocking was greyed out, so not toggleable, I don’t see the switch to DivestOS happening, which would have required the greyed out OEM unlocking switch to be turned on again to unlock the bootloader.
I think there’s a misunderstanding somewhere, if there isn’t, I would be very interested to find out how that is / was possible
If it’s greyed out you can’t enable it, that’s right, but what makes the switch greyed out is the bootloader being unlocked, once it’s locked it can be toggled again.
That’s how the Magisk workaround works, you fake the system being locked (adb shell su -c 'resetprop ro.boot.flash.locked 1'), and then are able to flip the switch. On a locked bootloader you should always be able to toggle that switch (on stock you might need to enter a code though).
I agree, the issue might not be completely gone (time will tell), but they have mitigated it enough, so that people shouldn’t brick their phones, if they follow the official installation path.
That calls for celebration
You are right, default profile pics on a small phone screen …
Well, that is indeed a very plausible explanation.
As far as I can tell, there hasn’t been any update on the fate of the first device, @juri.gagarin.ii , are you still stuck on a Calyx installation with a locked bootloader?
Dump question: Now that FP4 is officially support with/by CalyxOS since a while, locking the bootloader and have the phone rooted is still not supported/recommended, right?
Apart from that the last few updates via OTA went just fine via the described way. Thinking about putting the update procedure into a separate wiki thread/post. Sometime it feels like the procedures/hints/infos/step-by-step-guides are somehow buried in very long threads like this one (or https://forum.fairphone.com/t/howto-install-calyx-os-on-fp4 )
If you use the device-flasher, it’s now generally safe to lock the bootloader.
I’ve tried it 30+ times by now and everythings been fine, as always, no guarantees though
Edit: Woops, missed that part
Never will be supported, and it’s not only not recommended, it can very easily brick your phone.
3 days ago I installed Calyxos on my Fairphone 4 and I just want to let people know of my experience and opinion of it. I’m a programmer techie nerd so my phone is my life.
The Pros:
The first 3 days were absolute bliss. I loved working in Android 13 and Calyxos is really very very well done. Only one bug I found in the whole thing in their Knock-off of GooglePlay if you somehow miss hitting the “install” button after downloading a new app the only way to continue is to restart the phone. But for such a huge software that is really a very very minor bug. Everything I really needed for banking, communication, etc, all worked perfectly. I’m not interested in avoiding the evil Google Corp so my goal was to just get everything I need to work. Others prioritize avoiding Google and there Calyxos Shines victorious, but then, very little will work of course since Google is so powerful.
The Cons:
Not everything works. Probably 95% of all you need/want will work. Eventually you will find things that don’t work. Not Calyxos’s fault at all. A very few apps that love the evil Google Corp will eventually find something they don’t like about Calyxos and refuse to work. For me it was the following
Samsung Wear and all samsung apps for my watch which means my watch was toast. Too bad because I loved Samsung pay and my watch. I could buy a new Garmin watch which others say works.
All my streaming apps refused to work. You know, like Netflix, however I don’t have netflix myself. Apparently they check if the phone is root unlocked and refuse to work if it is. I assume it is to protect their copyrighted material.
So I re-rooted my Fairphone 4 back to the old Android 11. That went rather well with only a few minor hiccups. One major note here!! “You must re-lock your root or your streaming apps still won’t work”!! Now actually I realize that although Android 13 was a little more eye pleasing than Android 11, actually android 11 is just as good and even some of the eye candy in android 13 is actually irritating in the long run. So for now I am very happy back on Android 11.
You could have locked the bootloader on calyxOS, too, if that’s really what Netflix checks to run.
(Afaik calyxOS installation guide even recommends to relock the bootloader)
You reinstalled stocks OS if I understand correctly. This has nothing to do with rooting. Rooting is not necessary to install an OS on a FP3.
I suppose you mean here that you have to re-lock your bootloader.
Yes, yes, and yes . I also thought about locking the bootloader on calyxos but never tried it. I just felt if they’re so careful to check the lock they probably have a way to check the validity of the android. They don’t give any decent error message. Just don’t work when you start a stream.
On the other hand immediately after re-installing the stock android I tried the streaming apps and they still refused to work. I then locked the bootloader and the streaming worked perfectly. It was quite frustrating that when you lock the bootloader it erases any data or apps so I lost a few hours work there.
For 2 days now, I’m trying to root latest CalyxOS, but it always gets stuck in a boot loop. What I’m doing:
Install Magisk App
Upload boot.img that comes with CalyxOS
Patch that boot.img
Copy it back to my PC
Install CalyxOS with device-flasher.linux
fastboot flash boot <modified boot.img>
fastboot flash vbmeta --disable-verity --disable-verification vbmeta.img (the vbmeta.img that comes with CalyxOS
fastboot reboot
And then it’s stuck in a boot loop. But even when I flash back the unpatched boot.img from CalyxOS, it stays in boot loop. I can go back to Stock ROM, but I don’t seem to be able to root my CalyxOS. Has any one succeeded? Please advise!
Don’t directly flash that boot.img, unless you want to make OTA-updates unnecessary complicated. You also shouldn’t / don’t need to flash vbmeta, just follow the usual root procedure:
I’ve been running CalyxOS rooted since it’s been released, no issues so far. (Obviously you loose the ability to lock the bootloader, it will always be a compromise)
Using fastboot boot <patched boot.img> didn’t work either. It showed the boot screen for 1h, and then I turned off the phone. Am I patching the wrong boot.img? I’ve tried using the one from the latest stock and the one that comes with CalyxOS.