Fairphone 4 "Cannot load Android system."

I was on the January update (I think that’s A.099), rooted using Magisk, and wanted to upgrade to the current February update (A.103). So I first uninstalled Magisk (using restore image), then I installed the OTA, reinstalled Magisk to the inactive slot and rebooted.

The phone booted, but was in a weird half-state (I had that issue before). It showed that it was still on A.099, but a lot of things didn’t work (e.g. WiFi and sound). I tried reinstalling the OTA, but it kept failing. So I restored the image again in Magisk, and OTA still failed.

I installed Magisk again to the inactive slot and rebooted.

Now the phone is stuck with the following message:

Android Recovery
Fairphone/FP4eea/FP4
11/RKQ1.210503.001/FP3R
user/releasekeys
Use volume up/down and power.
Cannot load Android system. Your data may be corrupt. If
you continue to get this message, you may need to perform
a factory data reset and erase all user data stored on this
device.

Try again
Factory data reset

I really don’t want to factory reset, since I have quite a bit of non-backuped data.

I can get into Fastboot mode, but booting anything from there leads to the same screen. So does any try of entering recovery mode.

I tried

fastboot set_active a
fastboot set_active b
fastboot --set-active a
fastboot --set-active b
fastboot boot A.099.boot.img
fastboot boot A.103.boot.img
fastboot reboot
fastboot reboot recovery
fastboot flash boot_a A.103.boot.img

All of that always resulted in the same screen as above.

Selecting “Recovery Mode” in fastboot also results in the same error screen.

Here is the output of fastboot getvar all:

(bootloader) parallel-download-flash:yes
(bootloader) hw-revision:10000
(bootloader) unlocked:yes
(bootloader) off-mode-charge:0
(bootloader) charger-screen-enabled:0
(bootloader) battery-soc-ok:yes
(bootloader) battery-voltage:3849
(bootloader) version-baseband:
(bootloader) version-bootloader:
(bootloader) erase-block-size: 0x1000
(bootloader) logical-block-size: 0x1000
(bootloader) variant:SM_ UFS
(bootloader) partition-type:modemst2:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:modemst2: 0x600000
(bootloader) partition-type:modemst1:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:modemst1: 0x600000
(bootloader) partition-type:tunning:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:tunning: 0x600000
(bootloader) partition-type:fsc:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:fsc: 0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:fsg:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:fsg: 0x280000
(bootloader) partition-type:fpconfig:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:fpconfig: 0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:fpconfig_persist:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:fpconfig_persist: 0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:traceability:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:traceability: 0x100000
(bootloader) partition-type:ALIGN_TO_128K_2:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:ALIGN_TO_128K_2: 0x1A000
(bootloader) partition-type:swversion:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:swversion: 0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:oembin:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:oembin: 0x400000
(bootloader) partition-type:catecontentfv:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:catecontentfv: 0x100000
(bootloader) partition-type:catefv:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:catefv: 0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:secdata:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:secdata: 0x7000
(bootloader) partition-type:uefivarstore:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:uefivarstore: 0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:storsec:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:storsec: 0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:logdump:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:logdump: 0x4000000
(bootloader) partition-type:cateloader:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:cateloader: 0x200000
(bootloader) partition-type:logfs:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:logfs: 0x800000
(bootloader) partition-type:toolsfv:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:toolsfv: 0x100000
(bootloader) partition-type:limits-cdsp:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:limits-cdsp: 0x1000
(bootloader) partition-type:limits:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:limits: 0x1000
(bootloader) partition-type:splash:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:splash: 0x20A4000
(bootloader) partition-type:spunvm:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:spunvm: 0x800000
(bootloader) partition-type:apdp:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:apdp: 0x40000
(bootloader) partition-type:dip:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:dip: 0x100000
(bootloader) partition-type:devinfo:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:devinfo: 0x1000
(bootloader) partition-type:fsgbk_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:fsgbk_b: 0x280000
(bootloader) partition-type:core_nhlos_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:core_nhlos_b: 0xAA00000
(bootloader) partition-type:uefisecapp_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:uefisecapp_b: 0x200000
(bootloader) partition-type:imagefv_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:imagefv_b: 0x200000
(bootloader) partition-type:featenabler_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:featenabler_b: 0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:dtbo_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:dtbo_b: 0x1800000
(bootloader) partition-type:vbmeta_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:vbmeta_b: 0x10000
(bootloader) partition-type:vbmeta_system_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:vbmeta_system_b: 0x10000
(bootloader) partition-type:recovery_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:recovery_b: 0x6000000
(bootloader) partition-type:qupfw_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:qupfw_b: 0x14000
(bootloader) partition-type:devcfg_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:devcfg_b: 0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:boot_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:boot_b: 0x6000000
(bootloader) partition-type:keymaster_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:keymaster_b: 0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:dsp_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:dsp_b: 0x4000000
(bootloader) partition-type:abl_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:abl_b: 0x100000
(bootloader) partition-type:mdtp_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:mdtp_b: 0x2000000
(bootloader) partition-type:mdtpsecapp_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:mdtpsecapp_b: 0x400000
(bootloader) partition-type:bluetooth_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:bluetooth_b: 0x200000
(bootloader) partition-type:modem_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:modem_b: 0xC300000
(bootloader) partition-type:hyp_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:hyp_b: 0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:multiimgoem_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:multiimgoem_b: 0x8000
(bootloader) partition-type:tz_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:tz_b: 0x400000
(bootloader) partition-type:aop_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:aop_b: 0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:questdatafv:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:questdatafv: 0x1000000
(bootloader) partition-type:fsgbk_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:fsgbk_a: 0x280000
(bootloader) partition-type:featenabler_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:featenabler_a: 0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:core_nhlos_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:core_nhlos_a: 0xAA00000
(bootloader) partition-type:uefisecapp_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:uefisecapp_a: 0x200000
(bootloader) partition-type:imagefv_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:imagefv_a: 0x200000
(bootloader) partition-type:dtbo_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:dtbo_a: 0x1800000
(bootloader) partition-type:vbmeta_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:vbmeta_a: 0x10000
(bootloader) partition-type:vbmeta_system_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:vbmeta_system_a: 0x10000
(bootloader) partition-type:recovery_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:recovery_a: 0x6000000
(bootloader) partition-type:qupfw_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:qupfw_a: 0x14000
(bootloader) partition-type:devcfg_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:devcfg_a: 0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:boot_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:boot_a: 0x6000000
(bootloader) partition-type:keymaster_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:keymaster_a: 0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:dsp_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:dsp_a: 0x4000000
(bootloader) partition-type:abl_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:abl_a: 0x100000
(bootloader) partition-type:mdtp_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:mdtp_a: 0x2000000
(bootloader) partition-type:mdtpsecapp_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:mdtpsecapp_a: 0x400000
(bootloader) partition-type:bluetooth_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:bluetooth_a: 0x200000
(bootloader) partition-type:modem_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:modem_a: 0xC300000
(bootloader) partition-type:hyp_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:hyp_a: 0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:multiimgoem_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:multiimgoem_a: 0x8000
(bootloader) partition-type:tz_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:tz_a: 0x400000
(bootloader) partition-type:aop_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:aop_a: 0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:ALIGN_TO_128K_4:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:ALIGN_TO_128K_4: 0x1A000
(bootloader) partition-type:ddr:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:ddr: 0x100000
(bootloader) partition-type:cdt:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:cdt: 0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:ALIGN_TO_128K_1:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:ALIGN_TO_128K_1: 0x1A000
(bootloader) partition-type:xbl_config_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:xbl_config_b: 0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:xbl_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:xbl_b: 0x380000
(bootloader) partition-type:xbl_config_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:xbl_config_a: 0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:xbl_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:xbl_a: 0x380000
(bootloader) partition-type:userdata:ext4
(bootloader) partition-size:userdata: 0x377E72E000
(bootloader) partition-type:super:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:super: 0x180000000
(bootloader) partition-type:rawdump:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:rawdump: 0x20CCCD000
(bootloader) partition-type:oempersist:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:oempersist: 0xC800000
(bootloader) partition-type:metadata:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:metadata: 0x1DE0000
(bootloader) partition-type:frp:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:frp: 0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:keystore:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:keystore: 0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:misc:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:misc: 0x100000
(bootloader) partition-type:persist:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:persist: 0x2000000
(bootloader) partition-type:ssd:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:ssd: 0x2000
(bootloader) partition-type:ALIGN_TO_128K_3:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:ALIGN_TO_128K_3: 0x18000
(bootloader) has-slot:modem:yes
(bootloader) has-slot:system:no
(bootloader) current-slot:a
(bootloader) has-slot:boot:yes
(bootloader) slot-retry-count:b:7
(bootloader) slot-unbootable:b:no
(bootloader) slot-successful:b:no
(bootloader) slot-retry-count:a:7
(bootloader) slot-unbootable:a:no
(bootloader) slot-successful:a:no
(bootloader) slot-count:2
(bootloader) secure:yes
(bootloader) serialno:1a552a5f
(bootloader) product:FP4
(bootloader) snapshot-update-status:none
(bootloader) is-userspace:no
(bootloader) max-download-size:805306368
(bootloader) kernel:uefi

Any ideas what I could do from here?

Doesn’t matter anymore… I tried flashing the factory image without data partition, but had to unlock critical partitions for that… which incidentally deleted my data partition, so all is lost anyways…

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