Ubuntu Touch Sony F8131

paulmbcufc · 18 Dec 2020, 16:05

@lakotaubp in UB Ports I'm told to download ADB Drivers, but not Fastboot. I can only find fastboot for PC together with Minimal ADB is that OK?

To get to Fastboot, there is conflicting info on UB Ports. The picture shows pressing volume up and power button. The text says hold down volume up and insert usb cable. This makes blue LED come on, but still nothing happens.

Should my phone be turned on or off at the complete beginning of the process?

I'm well out of my depth - coz it isn't just plug and go at all

Cheers,Paul

Lakotaubp · 18 Dec 2020, 17:23

@paulmbcufc what is on your PC/ laptop. You should just downloaded the recommended adb and fastboot for that OS. Unless it's Windows in which case remove adb and all other phone drivers and use 15 sec adb from xda developers. The minimal option should be all you need.

paulmbcufc · 18 Dec 2020, 19:14

@lakotaubp Yeah, Windows 10 PC

I now have only 15 sec adb installed

I have got two methods to explain

I start with phone turned ON. UB Ports installer will turn off the phone to reboot. At this point the phone is completely black screen with only blue LED. UB Ports installer says 'Flashing firmware', but it isn't. I can leave it over an hour, until I give up. The phone will still turn on and boot into android like nothing has happened.
I start with phone turned off. When UB Ports asks me to put into bootload mode, I press volume and insert USB cable and blue LED lights up. UB Ports then says 'searching for devices'........forever!!

Sorry, for being so dumb. But I feel I have wasted £90. I don't want a android phone, I wanted the privacy of Linux

Cheers,
Paul

wdehoog · 18 Dec 2020, 20:09

@paulmbcufc Did you follow all the steps mentioned here? https://forums.ubports.com/topic/4147/sony-xperia-x-performance-dora-f8131-f8132/2

paulmbcufc · 19 Dec 2020, 14:58

@wdehoog
@lakotaubp

The issue was I hadn't unlocked the bootloader. I've done that now.

BUT, whilst UBPorts installer downloaded Ubuntu my phone began to boot loop. From white SONY screen, to grey SONY screen with errors, to 'Your device has been unlocked and can't be trusted" and now cycles between these screens endlessly. Once ubuntu had downloaded, UBPorts just stay in 'preparing image' for an hour, till I exited the program.

Any ideas about the boot loop?

Paul

Lakotaubp · 19 Dec 2020, 18:33

@paulmbcufc Do you now have UT Revovery? Try clearing the cache (Android Actions). Then try again. If you have twrp clear and format data and cache as stated in the F8131 thread. If it keeps stopping you may need to wipe the system as well data and cache, but try the others first.

paulmbcufc · 19 Dec 2020, 19:50

@lakotaubp I've managed to restore the phone using Sony flash tool - so the phone is now working again.

So I've just tried UB Ports again this time without fastboot option. Had phone turned on, UB Ports said it was rebooting device, but didn't happen

So now I'm back to having Bootloader unlocked and USB debugging allowed. Which image (channel) should I use - Edge?

Any tips before I just try again with the fastboot option again?

paulmbcufc · 19 Dec 2020, 19:59

@lakotaubp I just flash SW bineries. Now for the first time UB Ports can see my device, without selecting it manually. BUT it says 'Your device is not supported" - "The device F8131 is not supported"

It is though right?

paulmbcufc · 20 Dec 2020, 08:45

@lakotaubp Where do I find this image to flash?

"if the installer fails again and does not reboot into the "recovery mode" showing the ubports robot, you can bypass the issue by manually flashing the recovery image using:
$ fastboot flash boot .cache/ubports/dora/firmware/halium-unlocked-recovery_dora.img"

paulmbcufc · 20 Dec 2020, 12:14

@paulmbcufc

OK - I used TWRP as described on thread. Then UBPorts installed recovery, then Ubuntu. The Ubuntu bear logo appeared and it said installing update. Then rebooted and is stuck in white SONY screen, and is totally unresponsive. I can't even turn it off.

Any help would be appreciated. I was so close too!!!

Cheers,
Paul

paulmbcufc · 20 Dec 2020, 15:03

@lakotaubp

I have used TWRP to clear data etc. Then UBPorts installer installs UBPorts recovery, then installs Ubuntu touch. Phone reboots and Ubuntu bear appears saying installing update. Then the phone reboots and gets stuck in white SONY screen. I have tried this twice with two different channels, both ends with SONY white screen.

Which channel is the one I should be using?
Any ideas about the white SONY screen?

Cheers,
Paul

paulmbcufc · 23 Dec 2020, 17:12

@paulmbcufc @lakotaubp @wdehoog

SUCCESS !! This is solution for anyone else, using Windows 10

Get ABD drivers
Unlock Bootloader
Allow USB debugging
Use Sony 'Emma' tool to get Latest software & Firmware available on there - (bottom 2 on list) You need to put phone in flash mode to be seen. (Hold volime down whilst connecting USB to PC)
Put phone in Fastboot (hold doan volume up whilst connecting USB to PC)
Go to device manager - check that Android device is showing with ABD device - if not look at other devices for an S1 fastboot device with a warning symbol showing no driver. Update driver - select from computer and put driver location. If this doesn't make the device from other device to Android device, then get ABD from google and use that one.

Get TWRP, twrp-3.4.0-0-dora.img open command prompt in that folder. Type: fastboot flash boot twrp-3.4.0-0-dora.img

Boot up phone, will be in TWRP. Select Wipe, then format data - type yes. Back to advanced wipe - select DATA, CACHE & SYSTEM and wipe them.

Then use UBPorts installer. Put phone into Fastboot, and leave connected to computer until end of process. Manually tell it F8131 as device. Leave fastboot checked, I used channel marked 'stable', I think. Continue on. Phone will boot into UBPorts recovery, and will then install Ubuntu. It will reboot, you'll see Ubuntu robot and 'installing update' phone will then reboot but will be stuck on SONY boot splash screen. So hold down power and volume up, releasing power when screen goes black, until blue LED is on - which means its back in fastboot mode.

Then Flash the OEM binaries from: https://developer.sony.com/file/download/software-binaries-for-aosp-nougat-android-7-1-kernel-4-4-tone/ using fastboot flash oem SW_binaries_for_Xperia_AOSP_N_MR1_5.7_r1_v08_tone.img

Do this by opening a command prompt, again, within the folder. When its done reboot phone. This time SONY screen will make way for UBUNTU TOUCH.......YAY!!!!!

Lakotaubp · 23 Dec 2020, 18:19

@paulmbcufc Well done all sorted.