What is required to utilise a stock GSI in FPOS?

rokejulianlockhart · November 5, 2025, 1:38pm

I was under the impression that one could install a GSI image with the sole required preparation encompassing ensuring that 50% of the device’s internal storage is available:

However, two examples appear to contradict this:

How to install GSI on the Fairphone 5?

If you use DSU Sideloader, I assume that you already have unlocked bootloader, disabled vb_meta verification etc.

That application hasn’t been updated since 2023, though.
I don’t want to reproduce the undermentioned: ^[1]

DSU Accident to Fast boot Loop can't boot Android

I had wanted to try and see if DSUs would help in testing. It seems to have become stuck? I’m not sure if my data is recoverable / how I would reset if I needed to.

935×1920 63.8 KB

This article suggests a similar error when the bootloader is locked.

I’ve managed to install them in the past. However, although I (by mere coincidence) likely had my bootloader unlocked, cmd activity start --user 0 -a android.intent.action.VIEW -n com.android.settings/com.android.settings.development.DSULoader -f 0 com.android.settings still provides the option to me without it being locked: ^[2]

DSU Accident to Fast boot Loop can't boot Android

I clicked the DSU image in developer options and then clicked restart to use the image. And it booted to the screenshot

↩︎

URI	intent:#Intent;package=com.android.settings;component=com.android.settings/.development.DSULoader;end

VERSION	1
ACTION	android.intent.action.VIEW
COMPONENT	com.android.settings/com.android.settings.development.DSULoader
PACKAGE	com.android.settings

MATCHING ACTIVITIES	1
0	LABEL  	Select DSU Package
 	NAME   	com.android.settings.development.DSULoader
 	PACKAGE	com.android.settings

↩︎

rokejulianlockhart · November 5, 2025, 3:01pm

Per reddit.com/r/Nokia/comments/q55spp/comment/nn8wiql, I shan’t risk it: ^[1]

^[2]

…because it likely requires an unlocked bootloader. I’ll attempt to confirm, however:

github.com/waydroid/waydroid

[BUG] `1.5.4-5.fc43` fails to install GSIs from `android.settings.development.DSULoader` because `DynamicSystemService` fails to create `/userdata`.

opened 03:17PM - 08 Nov 25 UTC

RokeJulianLockhart

https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/05aa77ca-8244-478a-9c9b-d8fab8d876b8 … #### How To Reproduce ~~~sh #!/usr/bin/sh adb shell cmd activity start --user 0 -a android.intent.action.VIEW -n com.android.settings/com.android.settings.development.DSULoader -f 0 com.android.settings && \ adb exec-out uiautomator dump /dev/tty \ | sed 's/></>\n</g' \ | awk ' /text="GSI\+GMS X86_64"/ { match($0, /bounds="\[([0-9]+),([0-9]+)\]\[([0-9]+),([0-9]+)\]/, t); if (t[1]) { minx=t[1]; miny=t[2]; maxx=t[3]; maxy=t[4]; # Now look upward to find clickable parent for (i=NR-1;i>NR-20;i--) { if (buf[i] ~ /clickable="true"/ && match(buf[i], /bounds="\[([0-9]+),([0-9]+)\]\[([0-9]+),([0-9]+)\]/, c)) { cx=(c[1]+c[3])/2; cy=(c[2]+c[4])/2; system("adb shell input tap " cx " " cy); exit } } } } { buf[NR]=$0 }' && \ adb exec-out uiautomator dump /dev/tty \ | sed 's/></>\n</g' \ | awk ' /text="Agree"/ && /clickable="true"/ { if (match($0, /bounds="\[([0-9]+),([0-9]+)\]\[([0-9]+),([0-9]+)\]/, b)) { cx=(b[1]+b[3])/2; cy=(b[2]+b[4])/2; system("adb shell input tap " cx " " cy); exit } }' ~~~ #### The Consequence With irrelevant noise removed, `logcat` returns what [`gist.github.com/RokeJulianLockhart/3f36d04c6ca28f4b580300caf91b64a2`](https://gist.github.com/RokeJulianLockhart/3f36d04c6ca28f4b580300caf91b64a2/revisions?short_path=ec89c94#diff-ec89c9458475650db8037784dceb43e21bac041dae51a0a88b9d2862472c51ad) contains. Immediately thereafter, `adb shell dumpsys notification --noredact` [^1] returns: [^1]: [`stackoverflow.com/revisions/60234939/2`](https://stackoverflow.com/revisions/60234939/2#:~:text=adb%20shell%20dumpsys%20notification%20%2D%2Dnoredact) <blockquote> ~~~ini NotificationRecord(0x0dcb72e5: pkg=com.android.dynsystem user=UserHandle{0} id=1 tag=null importance=2 key=0|com.android.dynsystem|1|null|1000: Notification(channel=com.android.dynsystem shortcut=null contentView=null vibrate=null sound=null defaults=0x0 flags=0x800 color=0x00000000 vis=PRIVATE)) uid=1000 userId=0 opPkg=com.android.dynsystem icon=Icon(typ=RESOURCE pkg=com.android.dynsystem id=0x7f010000) flags=0x800 originalFlags=0x800 pri=0 key=0|com.android.dynsystem|1|null|1000 seen=true groupKey=0|com.android.dynsystem|1|null|1000 notification= fullscreenIntent=null contentIntent=null deleteIntent=null number=0 groupAlertBehavior=0 when=1762611486503 tickerText=null contentView=null bigContentView=null headsUpContentView=null color=0x00000000 timeout=unknown extras={ android.reduced.images=Boolean (true) android.text=String (Install failed) android.progress=Integer (0) android.progressMax=Integer (0) android.appInfo=ApplicationInfo (ApplicationInfo{ebfe1ba com.android.dynsystem}) android.progressIndeterminate=Boolean (false) } publicNotification= None stats=SingleNotificationStats{posttimeElapsedMs=7440977, posttimeToFirstClickMs=-1, posttimeToDismissMs=-1, airtimeCount=1, airtimeMs=4803, currentAirtimeStartElapsedMs=-1, airtimeExpandedMs=2435, posttimeToFirstVisibleExpansionMs=10642, currentAirtimeExpandedStartElapsedMs=-1, requestedImportance=3, naturalImportance=2, isNoisy=true} mContactAffinity=0.0 mRecentlyIntrusive=false mPackagePriority=0 mPackageVisibility=-1000 mSystemImportance=UNSPECIFIED mAsstImportance=UNSPECIFIED mImportance=LOW mImportanceExplanation=app mProposedImportance=UNSPECIFIED mIsAppImportanceLocked=false mIntercept=false mHidden==false mGlobalSortKey=crtcl=0x0002:intrsv=1:grnk=0x0001:gsmry=1:nsk:rnk=0x0001 mRankingTimeMs=1762611486503 mCreationTimeMs=1762611485554 mVisibleSinceMs=1762611494029 mUpdateTimeMs=1762611486504 mInterruptionTimeMs=1762611486504 mSuppressedVisualEffects= 0 mSound= content://settings/system/notification_sound mVibration= null mAttributes= AudioAttributes: usage=USAGE_NOTIFICATION content=CONTENT_TYPE_SONIFICATION flags=0x800 tags= bundle=null mLight= null mShowBadge=true mColorized=false mAllowBubble=false isBubble=false mIsInterruptive=false effectiveNotificationChannel=NotificationChannel{mId='com.android.dynsystem', mName=Dynamic System Updates, mDescription=, mImportance=2, mBypassDnd=false, mLockscreenVisibility=-1000, mSound=content://settings/system/notification_sound, mLights=false, mLightColor=0, mVibration=null, mUserLockedFields=0, mFgServiceShown=true, mVibrationEnabled=false, mShowBadge=true, mDeleted=false, mDeletedTimeMs=-1, mGroup='null', mAudioAttributes=AudioAttributes: usage=USAGE_NOTIFICATION content=CONTENT_TYPE_SONIFICATION flags=0x800 tags= bundle=null, mBlockableSystem=false, mAllowBubbles=-1, mImportanceLockedDefaultApp=true, mOriginalImp=2, mParent=null, mConversationId=null, mDemoted=false, mImportantConvo=false} mAdjustments=[] shortcut=null found valid? false ~~~ </blockquote> All I see about this, thus far, is [`issues/1298#issuecomment-1971598480`](https://github.com/waydroid/waydroid/issues/1298#issuecomment-1971598480). #### The Version Of Waydroid 1. ~~~sh #!/usr/bin/env sh rpm -qi $(rpm -qf $(command -v waydroid)) ~~~ 1. <blockquote> ~~~YAML Name : waydroid Version : 1.5.4 Release : 5.fc43 Architecture : noarch Install Date : Thu 30 Oct 2025 20:53:23 GMT Group : Unspecified Size : 650730 Signature : RSA/SHA256, Sat 04 Oct 2025 19:35:47 BST, Key ID 829b606631645531 Source RPM : waydroid-1.5.4-5.fc43.src.rpm Build Date : Sat 04 Oct 2025 18:37:46 BST Build Host : buildvm-ppc64le-09.rdu3.fedoraproject.org Packager : Fedora Project Vendor : Fedora Project Bug URL : https://bugz.fedoraproject.org/waydroid ~~~ </blockquote> #### The Category Of Hardware Configuration Linux Desktop #### The Version Of The OS Of The Host 1. ~~~sh #!/usr/bin/env sh xdg-open /etc/os-release ~~~ 1. <blockquote> ~~~ini NAME="Fedora Linux" VERSION_ID=44 ~~~ </blockquote> #### The Version Of The Kernel Of The Host 1. ~~~sh #!/usr/bin/env sh rpm -qi $(rpm -qf /boot/vmlinuz-$(uname -r)) ~~~ 1. <blockquote> ~~~YAML Name : kernel-core Version : 6.17.7 Release : 300.fc43 Architecture : x86_64 Install Date : Thu 06 Nov 2025 15:56:15 GMT Size : 103607804 Signature : RSA/SHA256, Sun 02 Nov 2025 23:26:08 GMT, Key ID 829b606631645531 Source RPM : kernel-6.17.7-300.fc43.src.rpm Build Date : Sun 02 Nov 2025 15:17:26 GMT Build Host : buildhw-x86-01.rdu3.fedoraproject.org Packager : Fedora Project Vendor : Fedora Project URL : https://www.kernel.org/ Bug URL : https://bugz.fedoraproject.org/kernel ~~~ </blockquote> #### The Desktop Environment Of The Host 1. ~~~sh #!/usr/bin/env sh rpm -qi plasma-desktop ~~~ 1. <blockquote> ~~~YAML Name : plasma-desktop Version : 6.5.2 Release : 1.fc43 Architecture : x86_64 Install Date : Fri 07 Nov 2025 13:23:36 GMT Size : 31082554 Signature : RSA/SHA256, Thu 06 Nov 2025 15:09:45 GMT, Key ID 829b606631645531 Source RPM : plasma-desktop-6.5.2-1.fc43.src.rpm Build Date : Thu 06 Nov 2025 14:19:57 GMT Build Host : buildvm-x86-31.rdu3.fedoraproject.org Packager : Fedora Project Vendor : Fedora Project URL : https://invent.kde.org/plasma/plasma-desktop Bug URL : https://bugz.fedoraproject.org/plasma-desktop ~~~ </blockquote> #### The GPUs Of The Host 1. ~~~sh #!/usr/bin/env sh fastfetch -l none | grep GPU ~~~ 1. <blockquote> ~~~YAML GPU 1: AMD Radeon RX 5700 [Discrete] GPU 2: AMD Raphael [Integrated] ~~~ </blockquote> #### Logs - 1. ~~~sh #!/usr/bin/env sh xdg-open /var/lib/waydroid/waydroid.cfg ~~~ 1. [`gist.github.com/RokeJulianLockhart/7a63314bd5e9ee7e893e3727fc7c7fce`](https://gist.github.com/RokeJulianLockhart/7a63314bd5e9ee7e893e3727fc7c7fce/revisions#diff-bbdcae11e5f1c05e887108d9a8bf6e94d2cb932d2c8ac95473a86bc88be4bfb6R1-R19:~:text=%2D0%2C0%20+1%2C19%20@@-,%5Bwaydroid%5D,-arch%20=%20x86_64&text=%5Bwaydroid%5D-,arch%20=%20x86_64,-vendor_type%20=%20MAINLINE&text=arch%20=%20x86_64-,vendor_type%20=%20MAINLINE,-system_datetime%20=%201754733814&text=vendor_type%20=%20MAINLINE-,system_datetime%20=%201754733814,-vendor_datetime%20=%201754691693&text=system_datetime%20=%201754733814-,vendor_datetime%20=%201754691693,-suspend_action%20=%20freeze&text=vendor_datetime%20=%201754691693-,suspend_action%20=%20freeze,-mount_overlays%20=%20True&text=suspend_action%20=%20freeze-,mount_overlays%20=%20True,-auto_adb%20=%20True&text=mount_overlays%20=%20True-,auto_adb%20=%20True,-images_path%20=%20/var/lib/waydroid/images&text=auto_adb%20=%20True-,images_path%20=%20/var/lib/waydroid/images,-binder%20=%20binder&text=images_path%20=%20/var/lib/waydroid/images-,binder%20=%20binder,-vndbinder%20=%20vndbinder&text=binder%20=%20binder-,vndbinder%20=%20vndbinder,-hwbinder%20=%20hwbinder&text=vndbinder%20=%20vndbinder-,hwbinder%20=%20hwbinder,-system_ota%20=%20https://ota.waydro.id/system/lineage/waydroid_x86_64/GAPPS.json&text=hwbinder%20=%20hwbinder-,system_ota%20=%20https://ota.waydro.id/system/lineage/waydroid_x86_64/GAPPS.json,-vendor_ota%20=%20https://ota.waydro.id/vendor/waydroid_x86_64/MAINLINE.json&text=system_ota%20=%20https://ota.waydro.id/system/lineage/waydroid_x86_64/GAPPS.json-,vendor_ota%20=%20https://ota.waydro.id/vendor/waydroid_x86_64/MAINLINE.json,-binder_protocol%20=%20aidl3&text=vendor_ota%20=%20https://ota.waydro.id/vendor/waydroid_x86_64/MAINLINE.json-,binder_protocol%20=%20aidl3,-service_manager_protocol%20=%20aidl3&text=binder_protocol%20=%20aidl3-,service_manager_protocol%20=%20aidl3,-%5Bproperties%5D&text=service_manager_protocol%20=%20aidl3-,%5Bproperties%5D,-Footer) - 1. ~~~sh #!/usr/bin/env sh xdg-open /var/lib/waydroid/waydroid.prop ~~~ 1. [`gist.github.com/RokeJulianLockhart/bc55806c478408e33e33837ad53e0d6f`](https://gist.github.com/RokeJulianLockhart/bc55806c478408e33e33837ad53e0d6f/revisions#diff-f5e3669456ede780473992d4e4918c89564634124898ae8560e6c1fa3c054b8eR1-R21:~:text=%2D0%2C0%20+1%2C21%20@@-,sys.use_memfd=true,-gralloc.gbm.device=/dev/dri/renderD128&text=sys.use_memfd=true-,gralloc.gbm.device=/dev/dri/renderD128,-debug.stagefright.ccodec=0&text=gralloc.gbm.device=/dev/dri/renderD128-,debug.stagefright.ccodec=0,-ro.hardware.gralloc=gbm&text=debug.stagefright.ccodec=0-,ro.hardware.gralloc=gbm,-ro.hardware.egl=mesa&text=ro.hardware.gralloc=gbm-,ro.hardware.egl=mesa,-ro.hardware.vulkan=radeon&text=ro.hardware.egl=mesa-,ro.hardware.vulkan=radeon,-ro.hardware.camera=v4l2&text=ro.hardware.vulkan=radeon-,ro.hardware.camera=v4l2,-ro.opengles.version=196610&text=ro.hardware.camera=v4l2-,ro.opengles.version=196610,-waydroid.system_ota=https://ota.waydro.id/system/lineage/waydroid_x86_64/GAPPS.json&text=ro.opengles.version=196610-,waydroid.system_ota=https://ota.waydro.id/system/lineage/waydroid_x86_64/GAPPS.json,-waydroid.vendor_ota=https://ota.waydro.id/vendor/waydroid_x86_64/MAINLINE.json&text=waydroid.system_ota=https://ota.waydro.id/system/lineage/waydroid_x86_64/GAPPS.json-,waydroid.vendor_ota=https://ota.waydro.id/vendor/waydroid_x86_64/MAINLINE.json,-waydroid.tools_version=1.5.4&text=waydroid.vendor_ota=https://ota.waydro.id/vendor/waydroid_x86_64/MAINLINE.json-,waydroid.tools_version=1.5.4,-ro.vndk.lite=true&text=waydroid.tools_version=1.5.4-,ro.vndk.lite=true,-waydroid.host.user=RokeJulianLockhart&text=ro.vndk.lite=true-,waydroid.host.user=RokeJulianLockhart,-waydroid.host.uid=1000&text=waydroid.host.user=RokeJulianLockhart-,waydroid.host.uid=1000,-waydroid.host.gid=1000&text=waydroid.host.uid=1000-,waydroid.host.gid=1000,-waydroid.host_data_path=/home/RokeJulianLockhart/.local/share/waydroid/data&text=waydroid.host.gid=1000-,waydroid.host_data_path=/home/RokeJulianLockhart/.local/share/waydroid/data,-waydroid.background_start=false&text=waydroid.host_data_path=/home/RokeJulianLockhart/.local/share/waydroid/data-,waydroid.background_start=false,-waydroid.xdg_runtime_dir=/run/xdg&text=waydroid.background_start=false-,waydroid.xdg_runtime_dir=/run/xdg,-waydroid.pulse_runtime_path=/run/xdg/pulse&text=waydroid.xdg_runtime_dir=/run/xdg-,waydroid.pulse_runtime_path=/run/xdg/pulse,-waydroid.wayland_display=wayland%2D0&text=waydroid.pulse_runtime_path=/run/xdg/pulse-,waydroid.wayland_display=wayland%2D0,-waydroid.stub_sensors_hal=1&text=waydroid.wayland_display=wayland%2D0-,waydroid.stub_sensors_hal=1,-Footer) - 1. ~~~sh #!/usr/bin/env sh xdg-open /var/lib/waydroid/waydroid_base.prop ~~~ 1. [`gist.github.com/RokeJulianLockhart/230b89f5db1615d37fc8ef71f865152`](https://gist.github.com/RokeJulianLockhart/230b89f5db1615d37fc8ef71f8651529/revisions#diff-15f639a42638c081344e54bbd3d1004ae5ddd845a1aa2e645aa6851a4934a04fR1-R12:~:text=%2D0%2C0%20+1%2C12%20@@-,sys.use_memfd=true,-gralloc.gbm.device=/dev/dri/renderD128&text=sys.use_memfd=true-,gralloc.gbm.device=/dev/dri/renderD128,-debug.stagefright.ccodec=0&text=gralloc.gbm.device=/dev/dri/renderD128-,debug.stagefright.ccodec=0,-ro.hardware.gralloc=gbm&text=debug.stagefright.ccodec=0-,ro.hardware.gralloc=gbm,-ro.hardware.egl=mesa&text=ro.hardware.gralloc=gbm-,ro.hardware.egl=mesa,-ro.hardware.vulkan=radeon&text=ro.hardware.egl=mesa-,ro.hardware.vulkan=radeon,-ro.hardware.camera=v4l2&text=ro.hardware.vulkan=radeon-,ro.hardware.camera=v4l2,-ro.opengles.version=196610&text=ro.hardware.camera=v4l2-,ro.opengles.version=196610,-waydroid.system_ota=https://ota.waydro.id/system/lineage/waydroid_x86_64/GAPPS.json&text=ro.opengles.version=196610-,waydroid.system_ota=https://ota.waydro.id/system/lineage/waydroid_x86_64/GAPPS.json,-waydroid.vendor_ota=https://ota.waydro.id/vendor/waydroid_x86_64/MAINLINE.json&text=waydroid.system_ota=https://ota.waydro.id/system/lineage/waydroid_x86_64/GAPPS.json-,waydroid.vendor_ota=https://ota.waydro.id/vendor/waydroid_x86_64/MAINLINE.json,-waydroid.tools_version=1.5.4&text=waydroid.vendor_ota=https://ota.waydro.id/vendor/waydroid_x86_64/MAINLINE.json-,waydroid.tools_version=1.5.4,-ro.vndk.lite=true&text=waydroid.tools_version=1.5.4-,ro.vndk.lite=true,-Footer) - 1. ~~~sh #!/usr/bin/env sh xdg-open /var/lib/waydroid/waydroid.log ~~~ 1. [`gist.github.com/RokeJulianLockhart/f89188e366340c9698855943a9885049`](https://gist.github.com/RokeJulianLockhart/f89188e366340c9698855943a9885049/294d7448dd1c96d5becacd9659ee17fe67f6ff10#file-waydroid-log-L1-L5190:~:text=Raw-,waydroid.log,-(104961)%20%5B15:11:11%5D%20ERROR:) - 1. ~~~sh #!/usr/bin/env sh sudo waydroid shell -- logcat -d | tee logcat.log && \ xdg-open logcat.log ~~~ 1. [`gist.github.com/RokeJulianLockhart/6575690523ed221dce9f14fc953fac7e`](https://gist.github.com/RokeJulianLockhart/6575690523ed221dce9f14fc953fac7e/3f9663d29a74ff9c40d038e99fc79d1cb1070a13#file-logcat-log-L1-L7679:~:text=Raw-,logcat.log,-This%20file%20has) - 1. ~~~sh #!/usr/bin/env sh sudo dmesg | tee dmesg.log && \ xdg-open dmesg.log ~~~ 1. [`gist.github.com/RokeJulianLockhart/0898dd3d36a40c7a9d07c9601c83be0a`](https://gist.github.com/RokeJulianLockhart/0898dd3d36a40c7a9d07c9601c83be0a/6cdf38049bdf411902bb31e2605ee8b15a7fee16#file-dmesg-log-L1-L2622:~:text=Raw-,dmesg.log,-%5B%207247.019981%5D%20init:)