FP2 does not start after update

As irritating as it is, this message was observed to be kind of a feature, not a bug, of the older TWRP version bundled with Fairphone’s OSes.
If you don’t like it, you can install a more recent TWRP from twrp.me.
The proven most trouble-free version there would be 3.2.3-0.

Looks like you did the TWRP factory reset. Why? Now your data is gone.
The manual install method wouldn’t have done this, as you will read now, I guess …

I couldn’t find any old versions of the image on my phone after I hit the issue…

Downgrading with adb sideload works perfectly, no loss of data or other issues whatsoever.

A fix for the issue is on the way, it just hasn’t been merged yet:

https://review.lineageos.org/c/LineageOS/android_device_fairphone_FP2/+/255360

Yes, I eventually figured out that all my important stuff is on cloud services! :slight_smile:

1 Like

I’ve now installed the latest OS manually - my FP2 is working again! No data lost.
At first I kept getting the warning “No Fairphone 2 found in fastboot mode”. Then I downloaded & extracted the ZIP archive again, and this time it went fine.
See https://support.fairphone.com/hc/en-us/articles/207914363
In the mean time I’ve learned about recovery etc, and I’ll make sure to make backups …

3 Likes

Interesting, so you’re saying you were getting “No Fairphone 2 found in fastboot mode”. And the only thing you did different was to redownload the ZIP file? There might be hope for me!

Can I ask which update worked for you? Was it the most recent one?

Yes, last update, OS 19.08.1, as provided on the support page on manual installation - see link in my message (same as the one posted earlier by Ingo and AnotherElk).
The instructions actually cover the warning "No Fairphone 2 found in fastboot mode”.
Good luck!

1 Like

It doesn’t work on my phone at all, tried the manual installation multiple times and also tried downloading the ZIP again. No result. Screen is black with text and the script keeps asking me if I want to look for the phone again.
Anyone who experienced this and were able to fix it?

Can you upload a screenshot here?

I am having precisely the same problem:

  • Reboot failed after the auto-update last night…
  • Followed the instructions on manual installation - repeated several times; got my phone into Fast Reboot mode (flashing blue light; usb connection to my Win10 laptop; heard the Windows accept sound jingle when I plugged in the USB, &etc.)

After running “flash-for-windows” multiple times, I still get:

** Fairphone OS 19.08.1 Manual Flashing Script **
Validating files…
All files are valid, let’s go!

WARNING: No device found in fastboot mode.
WARNING: Make sure that a Fairphone 2 is connected.
WARNING: To check for devices, type ‘bin-msys\fastboot.exe devices’.

Do you want to look for a device again? [(Y)es/(n)o]:

FP2 screen remains black with the “Fairphone” and “Powered by android text.”

My Win10 Control Panel shows a generic Android device is connected, but the status is “Needs driver” and there’s no option to update/install new driver.

I’ve tried all of the USB ports on my laptop; I’ve tried disconnecting, restarting and painfully following again each and every step in the process (2 thru 5); I’ve re-downloaded the binary twice (FP2 - Binary images of Fairphone OS 19.08.1 (~777MB) md5sum: c764109d20d0aae1019b513505dff76f).

But I’m stumped!

Suggestions, inspiration, ideas on this problem are welcome. Suggestions on where to find a good IPA anywhere in central Leiden also welcome… :wink:

HA! SOLVED!!! I went to my wife’s laptop (Win7; our home machine…) and tried it there - worked perfectly the first time! I guess my Win10 laptop (issued by my employer) had some sort of weird coroprate policies in place that blocked or interfered with the update script finding my FP2 via USB.

So, it ran exactly as described in the main article; the only thing I would add is that, at the end, when the Win script finishes and you see this:

Flashing successful!
Your Fairphone 2 will now run Fairphone OS 19.08.1.

Press Enter to reboot the device and complete the installation
Press any key to continue . . .

Go ahead and hit ‘Enter’ but then give it a good long time to reboot and restart - I waited ca. 20 mins during which I saw only the normal start-up screen (with the blue dots flashing underneath the Fairphone text). Then I sort of got bored, assumed it had hung up and then removed the battery to do a full restart - it then restarted in just a couple minutes just like normal.

The looming ‘Monday-morning-with-no-phone’ panic attack is hearby cancelled.

Cheers to all!

PS: Still need IPA recommendations… :wink:

3 Likes

Pronck, a brewery here in Leiden, makes a pretty respectable IPA - and that’s coming from someone who isn’t really into IPAs. I think they serve it at nearly every bar in the old city centre. Jopen IPA, brewed in Haarlem, is also quite good.

Also good job on fixing the problem, and on posting about it so other people with the same problem can follow your lead!

1 Like

Thank you! Will bookmark this for my next trip to Leiden… :wink:

Hope someone can help me.

My FP2 was crashing on the floor while the latest update was installing. Sadly it reebooted due to the crash.

If I start it new (battery on off or press power >12 seconds) it starts with “team win recovery project”.

Obviously never a recovery was installed (the storage is empty).

Selecting Rebooting, Recovery or System does not help

What can I do now to use my phone again?

Is there hope, that I can recovery my data? I never saved my contact data or my fotos… or better said not by intention (maybe google did it automatically)

Welcome to the community forum.

Worth a try when in TWRP …

A little more detail in between …

Apart from TWRP a manual install has helped people …

https://support.fairphone.com/hc/en-us/articles/207914363

1 Like

Thank you much for your reply! It worked and seemed to be so easy.

I bend down on my knees :slight_smile: . The pictures from my newborn are still there :smiley:. Time to save them somewhere else.

Finally I realized I am a technical dinosaur…

1 Like

Indeed. Realisation is the first step towards improvement :wink: .
Here’s a guide for a start …

https://support.fairphone.com/hc/en-us/articles/210512123-How-to-back-up-your-Fairphone-2-and-restore-the-data

1 Like

Hello,
I tried to update my FP2 to the newest version, but once I was in TWRP, I was not able to come back to the normal system. What should I do? I’m really not technical. In the code I had when it was trying to update: cannot find /system.
It’s pretty hard because it looks like I will never use the phone again.
Is there a way to fix it? Can you help me?
Thanks,
Regards,

Clément (@clem.radio)

Edit: I don’t think my phone is rooted.

Don’t worry. You’ll be able to use your phone again!
Have you already tried that solution (which has worked for several people, as you’ll find out if you search the forum a bit)?
TWRP → Install → cache → FP2 update zip file → install

2 Likes