Fastboot flashing unlock - <waiting for any device>

Help Fairphone 5
1

I want to unlock my bootloader but process sticks at the actual ‘unlock bootloader’ command. Tried on Windows 10 and Windows 11 (different laptops).

When USB connected to computer, I can access the files on my device through windows explorer. When USB connected to computer, I CAN’T switch control to connected device.

On the Windows 10 laptop (but not yet the Windows 11 laptop):
I have tried other cables and USB ports, and flipping the USB-C plug over. I only have USB-A and USB 3.0 to USB-C, I don’t have USB-C to USB-C.
I have tried restarting the computer.
I have tried installing the MTP USB Device driver via Device Manager.
I have tried installing the wpdmtp.inf file.
My computer already has Media Player installed so this isn’t the issue either.

I haven’t yet tried unlocking the bootloader from Ubuntu from a flash drive but I am nervous about bricking my laptop. It is the next option I am aware of though. What I know about computers is by brute force from working with different software in various consultancies. I don’t pick computer/tech stuff up easily at all.

Does anyone know any other things I can try (I haven’t tried FP customer service yet but never had luck with them in the past)? It’s hard not to feel that Windows/Google are blocking people’s attempts to leave.

2

Thats most of the times a bootloader driver issue when using windows

Thats no needed and the “normal” state

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3

Thanks yvmuel. I downloaded these yesterday and that is the file path I put in the command prompt. I get through the first couple of commands okay but get stuck at the command to unlock. The commands obviously connect to my phone well enough to get my phone to restart in bootloader mode, but somehow loses my phone when I tell it to unlock.

I haven’t installed anything from that folder as I haven’t seen any instructions to do so. Am I supposed to actually install any files from there or just reference the folder when going through command prompt?

4

I dont understand what folder you are referring to? Instructions or not if it helps why no doing it?

5

I have downloaded the platform tools for Windows, extracted the files and copied the extracted folder to my desktop. I use the file path to the desktop folder per the instructions when using command prompt.

However, I haven’t found any instructions that say that I need to find specific files in the Platform Tools folder and install any of them on my computer. Just reference the folder in command prompt.

Are there any files in the Platform Tools folder I downloaded from the above link which I am meant to actually run/open/install?

6

This is not the driver needed for fastboot mode, there’s an extra driver required.
With the phone connected to the computer in fastboot mode, here’s an animation from a Fairphone support page showing the install process via Windows Update - Optional updates …

https://support.fairphone.com/hc/article_attachments/18494377825809

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7

Or as I just linked above

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8

I’ve seen that, but I just like to add the animation for clarity wherever applicable :wink: .

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9

Thats good as we all learn differently :blush:

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10

Thanks AnotherElk! That worked. When I followed the Fairphone bootloader guide the link for the drivers goes somewhere else, as does the link in the previous shared post. I had searched around but didn’t find the page you shared.

I didn’t have any of the stuff shown in the video in Device Manager (that usb device wasn’t under keyboard, under other devices I had SMS/MMS, etc and got warnings that my computer would stop working properly when trying to update the drivers). I went to windows update, optional updates, and the only one there was the android bootloader update. installed okay and got phone unlocked.

Currently going through the new OS install process. Fingers crossed!

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