OEM unlock + fastboot unlock + fastboot critical unlock = boot loop?

Help Fairphone 4
#1

Hello,

A friend of mine has bought a FairPhone4 and asked me to install /e/OS on it.

I was too quick and I started unlocking phone to prepare /e/OS installation. Then I realized that latest Android security update of FairPhoneOS is from April 5th 2022, whereas /e/OS are from March 5th 2022.

So I did not install /e/OS, I only unlocked the phone.

Here are all the steps I followed:

  • use OEM unlock page and unlock OEM in developer options → error
  • update to latest FairPhoneOS and unlock OEM (in dev. options) → ok
  • adb reboot bootloader → ok
  • fastboot flashing unlock & approve → ok
  • fastboot flashing unlock_critical & approve → ok

I did nothing more on the phone.
At this time I double checked /e/OS version to use and viewing all these forum posts about FP4 stuck and android security updates, I decided to stop here.

Strange thing is that FairPhoneOS doesn’t boot anymore ?!? :scream:
After some booting loops, following screen appears (screenshot of FP4 taken with another FP4 device :wink: ):

signal-2022-04-29-225358_001
signal-2022-04-29-225358_0011536×2048 298 KB

Should I go on and make factory reset ?
Was it predictable that “simple” unlock and critical unlock lead to bootloop ?
Should I open an issue ? If yes, with what kind of info inside ?

Regards,
Low Memory, too quick to unlock; too slow to double check android security updates

#2

I’d recommend the factory reset. IMHO it can’t get worse as it only cleans the data partition (which btw should also be done by the unlocking steps, but well…).

4 Likes
#3

Unlocking the phone will force the phone to do a factory reset after reboot. Same goes for re-locking.

I guess you interrupted the “normal” procedure that normally triggers this factory reset, and now the phone is confused. Wipe the data and you should be good to go.

6 Likes
#4

A quick update here:

after factory reset, I could reboot phone without problems !

Thanks for all and Regards !

2 Likes
#5

FYI, I installed /e/ just recently, and noticing that the original firmware had a security update newer than the /e/ rom I was installing, I did not lock the bootloader yet. Everything works normally, just the bootloader is still unlocked.

Waiting for an updated /e/ and then I will lock it again (well, also I need to find a reasonably working camera app, otherwise I may go for de-googling the original rom instead).

1 Like
#6

Just to confirm: I have installed /e/OS 0.23-r-20220413178020 successfully.

1 Like
#7

Just to share experience: I installed /e/OS 1.0 on FP4 and I could successfully fastboot lock_critical and fastboot lock.

All set for my friend to go! :slight_smile:

1 Like