Stock fp3(+) (factory reset) boot loop (workarounds in first post)

Help Fairphone 3
184

These are some compiled answers from the thread

Retrieve data

From 90386/163

  • able to copy your files from your phone to your computer without unlocking it.
  • can also do the downgrade without any risk.

Two main workarounds

How to Revert the Google Mobile Services

  1. Enable Developer mode and USB Debuggings are both doable in under 10 secs.

    1. For Dev. Mode, follow this: 90386/161
    2. For USB-Debugging pics in link from here 90386/162
    • it’s fine if the FP restarts between these steps
    • these steps can be done without the SIM

  2. downgrade GMS (Google mobile services) with ADB

    • These can be done in in multiple reboot cycles
    1. Set up
      • install ADB
      • download the fallback version APK file (version 22.02.21)
        • see link in 90386/143
      • connect FP to computer with the above program and apk file
    2. Restart the FP, and
      • trust the computer (dialog on the phone)
      • check “ALWAYS ALLOW” from this computer
    3. (Need the SIM here) Restart the FP but DO NOT UNLOCK the phone
      • it should not restart until the phone is unlocked
    4. in a terminal on the computer, run the following when the FP logo (white on black) appears
      adb shell am force-stop com.google.android.gms  && adb shell pm clear com.google.android.gms
    5. If possible, run this as well, otherwise restart and run this
      adb install -d  'com.google.android.gms_22.02.21_(150408-428111784)-220221039_minAPI30(arm64-v8a,armeabi-v7a)(480dpi)_apkmirror.com.apk'
      • version 22.43.12 (150408-483592595) may or not work
      • problem already exists with version 22.43.56.
      • 22.45.14 (150408-487603456) also crashes. -
      • 22.02.21_150408-428111784 can work

  3. Disable Google Play Store Services and stop using/opening it until the issue is fixed.

    • From 90386/189

    • disable background data usage

      1. First open Play Store app info:
        Long press “Google Play Store” icon → little (i) sign

      2. Now disable background data:
        Press “Mobile data and WiFi” → Uncheck “Background data”

    • Do not open Google Play Store until the issue is fixed by Fairphone+Google.

      • Also, Deny any prompts for Google Play updates by other apps, unless you know the issue has been fixed.

Disable Google Play Services

  1. disable Google play
  2. strip Google Play of its updates,
  3. switch off auto update for all

must be done under 10 secs???

5 Likes
185

Which way did you choose to downgrade the phone?

Steps to read out the GMS version

Which current GMS version is installed on the phone?

186

I can run the first two commands and then the FP restarts.
What then? Can i install on the next reboot?

Did i miss something? I haven’t suspended, etc. Google Play Services

187

The phone don’t restart if you don’t unlock the phone, so you need to do the following. Yes you can install it with the next reboot.

  1. Unlock phone + activate USB debugging → then restart
  2. connect your phone to the computer → Unlock phone → trust the computer (dialog on the phone) + check ALWAYS ALLOW from this computer → restart
  3. DO NOT UNLOCK the phone → you have enough time to enter the commands it will not restart until you unlock the phone
3 Likes
188

I’ve managed these steps with the SIM; but i had to do the install a second time when (SIM) locked

189

Update: As it turned out, deactivating background data for Play Store is not enough. I updated the instructions below to completely deactivate Google Play Store instead.

As far as I know, Google Play Services is not a regular app. That’s why switching off the regular “automatic updates” setting won’t make a difference. Google Play Services is aggressively and automatically updated by the Google Play Store whenever it’s possible, because it’s so “mission critical” to many other apps and Google doesn’t want it to get old on phones where automatic updates are disabled. It’s on the border of being morally sound I guess, but in our case it’s clearly contraproductive.

Having searched the Internet, one of the rare possible workarounds in our case is to disable Google Play Store and stop using it until the issue is fixed.

Steps:

  1. First open Google Play Store app info (Store, not Services!):
    Long press Play Store icon → little (i) sign

  2. Now disable it with the “Deactivate” button

  3. Do not use/open/reactivate Google Play Store until the issue is fixed by Fairphone+Google. Deny any prompts for Google Play updates by other apps, unless you know the issue has been fixed.

Note 1: Once it has been fixed, you can reactivate Google Play Store by searching it within Settings → Apps → All apps to continue to receive automatic updates again. Updates are usually a good idea. :wink: (“Ausnahmen bestätigen die Regel”)

Note 2: You probably want to let Google Play Services activated (along with its background data etc.), as afaik it handles things like push messages for some messengers and so on, things that you want to keep working. The one that actually updates (!) Google Play Services is the Google Play Store.

I got my phone working again last night thanks to @Pilo11. First I tried deactivating just background data of Play Store but it was not enough. This noon I have redone the procedure and deactivated Play Store completely and so far it’s working.

PS: One other complete alternative would be to just completely disable WiFi and mobile data - you decide what suits you better.

8 Likes
190

I have tried again to narrow down the affected version. The problem is not with version 22.44.16. The problem already exists with version 22.43.56. The last version that worked for me is 22.43.12. I have now installed exactly this version so that I at least have the latest executable GMS version. I even tried the newest Beta version 22.45.14 (150408-487603456). It also crashes.

Last working version for me: 22-43-12-150408-483592595. you can download the version at apkmirror on the website.

4 Likes
191

I used the usb debugging/developer mode/adb way.

Now i will try what Jonibhoni said on top. I will see if it works :wink:

192

Thanks for the instructions. However, it worked only temporarily. After switching off the phone the same error occurs again (Groundhog day today?). I tried again and got the phone running - as long as I do not switch it off. Then even the older version of GMS seems to conflict with something. There seems to be something else that needs “fixing”.

Hopefully, FP will be able to provide a patch soon.

193

Goodmorning. Yesterday I got my phone back after doing the downgrade as per @Pilo11 s instructions. This morning my phone was stuck in the boot loop again. Although “automatic updates” was turned off, Google Play Services got updated to 22.44.16 overnight (crazy really). I downgraded again and disabled “Background Data” on Google Play Services and Google Play (thanks @Jonibhoni ). Hoping this holds now…

Just to let you know: version 22.43.12_150408-483592595 did not work for me (still boot looped). I went back to version 22.02.21_150408-428111784.

Thanks again to everyone!

1 Like
194

Adding myself to list of affected users.
Fp3 …0017.3, carrier SFR (France). Occured overnight, problem was discovered in the morning.

Chose the soft option of disabling Gservices.

195

FP3+ user, (Australia), also affected.

I’m a Mac user, never heard of OR used Android Debug Bridge (ADB) before and am attempting to now with limited success.

I’ve followed all steps provided by the legendary @Pilo11 however cannot seem to get ADB running in terminal despite attempts and am stuck here:

EDIT: After several youtube tutorials on using ADB for mac, the process worked like a charm! I’m now backing EVERYTHING up which i’ve not done in a long time. Thanks again @Pilo11 !

196

Same problem here, but boot loop appears after 3 seconds, which doesn’t give me the time to open settings & enable usb debugging. Any workarounds for this issue would be greatly appreciated…

197

Try
./adb
   

6 Likes
198

Yep. that’s all it was! Thanks!!

3 Likes
199

I’m affected as well. Did a factory reset, keeps running into the issue again when auto-updating Google Play Services. Switched to my old Phone until this is resolved.

200

bonjour,
2 téléphones de plus dans la liste des appareils touchés par le bug.
un FP3 et un FP3+ depuis hier soir.
France
Orange

201

Hello,
Same problem here, since November 4th. I’m glad to discover now that I’m not alone !
Starting in safe mode and factory reset did not solve this issue. I’m currently trying to access the settings before phone reboots, but didn’t succeed yet. It happens only a few seconds after unlocking.
Phone : FP3
Country : France

202

@Pilo11 THANK YOU!!! WORKS!

1 Like
203

Also adding myself to the affacted Users.
Fp3 02 (Germany). Occured somewhere between 16 and 17 on Friday. It seems that the Problem isnt Limited to FP3 but also affects FP4 Phones, a friend of mine had the same Problem last Week, but it fixed itself after he simply rebooted the Phone, he didnt have a Problem since then.

2 Likes