probably bricked my X23 trying to flash VollaOS properly

online78

Hello

I probably bricked my X23 trying to flash Volla OS properly.

What has happended:

I received my X23 with ubuntu Touch eventhoug I bought it with VollaOS.
Tought, not a problem, i could flash Volla OS on it. I found this guide: https://volla.online/de/resources/Manuals/How-to-flash-Volla-OS-on-Volla-Phone.pdf
I followed the steps - but followig step did not work: fastboot flashing unlock FAILED (remote: 'Prohibit unlock operation ') fastboot: error: Command failed
I ignored it and continued with ubport - installer and I could flash Volla OS (12.1 - not 13).
I was disturbed, that when I was booting the phone it shows that it has been flashed and is therefore not secure.
So I flashed it back to Ubuntu Touch --> no Problem and this text, that it is not secure has gone. So I startet in UT and activated the development mode
I thought, that I can no flash it to VollaOS. But before i learned from the internet, that to prevent this note while booting, i have to use fastboot flashing unlock and after wards fastboot flashing lock.
I tried to apply fastboot flashing unlock - with same Error as step 3. Noting helped, so I stupidedly thought, when I use fastboot flashing lock, then i could do afterwards fastboot flashing unlock. Well, the lock worked but the unlock did not work again.
Found out, that I can not flash anymore with ubport because fastboot flashing unlock does not work. Also my phone does not start anymore in ubuntu touch. Where I should enable the developer mode.

I can:

enter the fastboot menu
enter the boot recovery

I can not:

fastboot flashing unlock
start the phone in ubuntu touch - volla sign comes but then it restarts right away in endless restarts

Do you have any hints or can you help me out?
Thank you for your support

arubislander

@online78 Your best bet is to contact Volla customer support and explain your situation. Maybe they have tools they can point you to.
The good thing about buying a phone from vendor is that you are entitled to customer support.

online78

Hello, yes I could do that.. but am not there yet. In this post Ruben explained, how he was able to fix a bricked Volla Phone X. https://rubencarneiro.github.io/rubencarneiro.io//Volla-phone-Repair/. I would like to go the similar route, but am not able to unzip spflashtool due to the fact that on the website is the wrong password to unzip the tool. And of course, I have to get the right files. Is anyone here able to help me out instead going to the Volla Phone Support?

online78

By the way, I send you here more Infos... maybe someone can help?

Beeing in Fastboot Menue I have following situation:

enter: fastboot flashing unlock - then I have to confirm that on the phone. when I do that it gives on my terminal (Linux PC) out: fastboot flashing unlock FAILED (remote: 'Prohibit unlock operation ') fastboot: error: Command failed.
On the Phone it shows: Failed to unlock the device! Will return to fastboot in 3s
enter: fastboot flashing unlock - then I have to confirm that on the phone. when I deny that it gives on my terminal (Linux PC) out: fastboot flashing unlock OKAY [ 4.945s] Finished. Total time: 4.946s
On the Phone it shows no Info
In the Fastboot Menue I can choose:
- Go Back
- Reboot
- Turn Off the Device

But I have something like two different loocking Fastboot menues:

When I push the red butten left and volume up it enters in Recovery Mode. There I have following I can choose:
- Boot recovery
- enter Fastboot menue
- normal Boot
When I enter Fastboot menue, I come into the Fastbootmenue with the description above.
When I do normal boot, the device begins an endless reboot cycle
When I do boot recovery I come into an other looking Menue

Boot Recovery Menue:

Here It shows following Info on top (which was not shown when I push the button volume up and the black butten below the volume down button): Version 12.1 (20240228) Active slot: b
Here I have following I can choose:
- Reboot system now
- apply update
- Factory reset: which I have already done hoping it would help - but did not
- advanced
Reboot System now means, that the device goes into an endless reboot cycle
Apply Update: there I can choose apply from ADB. When I do that the phone shows: Now send the package you want to apply to the device with "adb sideload <filename>"... - and I can cancle too. I did not fiddle arround with that option but think this would probably help?
When I cancle then on the phone it shows following: Install completed with status 3. Installation aborted.
When I go to advanced I have new options:
- Enter fastboot
- reboot to bootloader
- reboot to recovery
- view recovery logs
- power off

Second Fastboot Meue (entering from recovery Mode):

Infos show above which are not shown when I enter in fastboot menue with the button volume up and the black button below the volume down):
- product name - vidofnir
- Serial Nr - the number
- Secure boot - yes
I can choose in that fastboot menue:
- Reboot Systen mon
- enter Revocery
- reboot to bootloader
- power off
What I have also noticed, that in this fastboot menue ubport does recognize my phone right away.
This is not the same, when I enter the fastboot menue via volume up button and the black button below the volume down.
When I try to apply fastboot flashing unlock here, it does not give me on the phone the opportunity to confirm that. It gives right away out this error: fastboot flashing unlock FAILED (remote: 'Unrecognized command flashing unlock') fastboot: error: Command failed
On the phone is now text to see.

Some more Infos:

recovery Mode I enter with the red button left and Volume Up
direct fastboot menue I enter with the volume up button and the black button below the volume down (on the right side)
as I mentioned - do the both fastboot menue not act the same. The one I enter directly with the black button shows me a confirmation box on the phone when I enter fastboot flashing unlock. The one I enter over recovery mode does that not.

I hope this helps. For to know I would love just to have Installed Volla Phone OS 13 without any weired notice at startup of the phone. That would be very great.

Help would be very apreciated
Dom

online78

hello all
thanks to ruben carneiro I could sideload volla OS 13 and fix everything. He provided me with the right zip file for VollaOS. Now I do not have any weired message at boot. That's great.

My fault was indeed to lock fastboot with fastboot flashing lock. Very stupid.

If anyone needs some help, ruben is great, Also here I want to shout out a great Thank to Ruben.

Dom

rubencarneiro

@online78 Thank you for the positive feeadback

online78

@rubencarneiro : Your are welcome.

By the way as Info for all, that are seeking having VollaOS on their phone, even when it comes with ubuntu touch. I think now to sideload Volla OS is much easier, because when I did Install Volla OS with ubport I had the situation, that it loaded VollaOS12.1 and got an error message that the phone has been manipulated. It took me also quite some time to update to volla OS 13. I have seen in different posts in differen forums, that people normaly live with that. But I have now no error message at the beginning and as I have understood from Ruben, that the sideload way also flashes the boot partitions, so everything is fully conform for Volla OS and secure now.

If my thoughts are wrong, please correct me for the help for other Volla Phone Users. Thanks Dom