Encryption unsuccesful error

[Jan7]

My FP2, Android 10, has developed an Encryption unsuccessful error and has become unusable. It tells me I need to do a factory reset. Removed the unused SD card. Tried safe mode. Didn’t help.
I would like to avoid a factory reset.
I’m aware of 3rd party software ( iMyFone Fixppo for Android) that claims it can solve the problem. Does anybody have experience with this?
Any other suggestions or solutions? Thanks!

[Martin_Anderseck]

I have had the same issue some time ago with Lineage OS and indeed the only thing that I could do at that time was to do a factory reset and set everything up from scratch again - I didn’t have the time for experiments unfortunately.
Here is the short discussion that I started at that time:

Encryption failed, data no longer accessible

Hi all, Yesterday when I took my FP2 out of my pannier it showed me a screen telling that the encryption has failed and that my data is no longer accessible. It suggested to do a factory reset. I could still turn on and off the phone but after booting it always came back with this screen and I could indeed not access my data anymore. Okay, with a backup I could recover most things, but still it was a totally unplanned effort. The phone is running on LOS 18.1 and has never been encrypted. I won…

[max_o]

I have no experience with this software (and never heard of it before). I took a quick glimpse at the website, but there is no description beside some simple steps:

1. Select Device Information
2. Download Firmware
3. Connect Device to PC & Repair It

So I assume the software does nothing but reflashing the firmware, maybe there are some problem related tweaks implemented. If no one else used it successfully before, I would contact their support and reassure that your data isn’t lost. But to be honest, it sounds to good to be true… Haven’t found any other solution and I can’t think of a way for the software to backup the data from an inaccessible partition.

[Jan7]

I had the same feeling about Fixppo.
@Martin_Anderseck : looked at your thread and saw TWRP mentioned. Looked into this (twrp.me), but I don’t have a clue what to do with it.

[OldRoutard]

@Jan7

Removed the unused SD card

Was this SD card installed as expansion of internal memory or as external / portable? If the former, could have been a contributory factor in the encryption bug, even if unused.

@max_o

to be honest, it sounds to good to be true

I agree.

[Jan7]

@OldRoutard

Was this SD card installed as expansion of internal memory or as external / portable? If the former, could have been a contributory factor in the encryption bug, even if unused.

I’m not sure. It never worked well and I have tried to use it for a long time. Now, I have removed it.

I’ve already done a factory reset (I’m in a hurry to be able to use the phone again). Still interested in more elegant solutions for the future.