Install Ubuntu Touch on LG Nexus 5 with Android 4

ezze

Hi, guys!

I'm interested in purchasing LG Nexus 5 device to use it with Ubuntu Touch and found it somewhere on eBay. A seller tells me that it's shipped with Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) but can be upgraded to 6.0 (Marshmallow). Here is the reference:

https://www.gsmarena.com/lg_nexus_5-5705.php

I saw that devices with Android 5.1 and Android 7.1 only are supported to install Ubuntu Touch on (unfortunatelly, I unable to recognize where). Could you, guys, please, clarify these things?

Is it possible to upgrade Android 4.0 to Android 5.1 (Lollipop) on this phone while Android 6.0 is mentioned for upgrade?
Do I really need to upgrade Android 4.0 to Android 5.1 (Lollipop) before installing Ubuntu Touch?

Thanks in advance!

advocatux

@ezze hi, 6.0.1 is the latest official factory image version, and yes, it's recommended to update that device before installing UT so you'll have the latest firmware for it.

You can download it from https://developers.google.com/android/images#hammerhead

The flashing instructions are at the top of that page.

ezze

@advocatux, thanks for the reply. And for firmware reference!

Relying on your answer I can update to 6.0.1 but not to 5.1. Ok, will purchase the item and do it then.

A Former User

@ezze You can rely on @advocatux - he's a sound geeza!

dobey

@ezze You can install either 5.1 or 6.0 if you wish (just depends on which OEM image you flash on). However, it's best to flash the last OEM image, to be sure you get the latest radio firmware.

As for the device shipping with 4.0, it most certainly did not. Nexus 5 originally shipped with 4.4 (Kit Kat). If this widely documented piece of information is wrong, I would be suspect of other claims in the sale as well. Beware of what you're buying.

ezze

@dobey, you are right about 4.0 version, it doesn't exist according to the provided specs. Seller mixed up the info. Finally, I purchased two items. One with Android 6.0.0 and unlocked bootloader, and another with Android 6.0.1 but locked bootloader. So I don't need to flash Android firmware first.

Installation to 6.0.0 was smooth and done in five minutes! This is awesome!

Installation to 6.0.1 took an half of an hour due to locked bootloader, and Ubuntu didn't start after the first attempt of flashing. It was Google logo on the screen and nothing happened. Fortunately, the second attempt was successful and also done in five minutes! Thanks to all of you, guys, all developers and ubports-installer-0.4.11-beta that also helped to unlock a bootloader in easy way!

T.F.

@dobey Thanks for the contributions.
On my LG Nexus 5 it says (with UBports-installer ubuntu_touch already installed) the build is "aosp_hammerhead-userdebug 5.1.1 LMY48W 1086 test -keys". But if I look here https://developers.google.com/android/images#hammerhead LMY48W is for 5.1.1 of "shamu" for Nexus 6 ... Now I don't know which of the 13 versions of 6.0.1 for Nexus 5 to choose for my phone. And I don't see where to look up the model number of the phone running already under ubuntu touch ...

dobey

@T-F I don't know what you mean exactly. The OEM images listed on that link are in order of release. If you want the last image released for Nexus 5, then grab the one at the bottom of the list for hammerhead (Dec 2016).

T.F.

@dobey Thanks. Okay, that simple. I thought they were for different builds like for example in this case: https://www.phonemore.com/models/samsung/galaxy-note-4/ and each would need a different OEM ...

dobey

@T-F I think you're just confusing yourself. Yes, every device requires its own different image. Your device comes from google, and is hammerhead, so you need to get the factory image from google for hammerhead.

Samsung images do not come from Google.

MarkG_108

@advocatux said in Install Ubuntu Touch on LG Nexus 5 with Android 4.0:

hi, 6.0.1 is the latest official factory image version, and yes, it's recommended to update that device before installing UT so you'll have the latest firmware for it.

So, it's not possible to install Ubuntu Touch on a Nexus 5 phone that's blank (IE, perhaps freshly formatted with TWRP) and without Android (or LineageOS or whatver)? If using the manual installation instructions here on such a device, would it not succeed?

umsongb

I'm guessing it won't b much of an help, but...

In my case, I installed UT on a Nexus 5 fresh out of a sealed box; using Manjaro Linux. I didn't even check the version but the installation went smoothly.

dobey

@MarkG_108 said in Install Ubuntu Touch on LG Nexus 5 with Android 4.0:

So, it's not possible to install Ubuntu Touch on a Nexus 5 phone that's blank (IE, perhaps freshly formatted with TWRP) and without Android (or LineageOS or whatver)?

It certainly is possible. The recommendation of flashing latest factory image first, is to ensure you have latest radio firmware available for the device.

MarkG_108

@dobey Thanks. Since it's possible, that's what I did. I had LineageOS 14.1 on the phone (Nexus 5). I used TWRP to wipe everything, including cache, system, data, and internal storage, and then I installed Ubuntu Touch. Working okay so far.

adeliepenguin

@dobey said in Install Ubuntu Touch on LG Nexus 5 with Android 4.0:

It certainly is possible. The recommendation of flashing latest factory image first, is to ensure you have latest radio firmware available for the device.

I purchased a device with old Android (Nexus 7 / Android 4.4.3). I'm in the process of upgrading it OTA to the final version 6.0.1. My question: Will I be able to use the latest radio firmware later in UT? Or is flashing the latest vendor image via adb mandatory?

How can I tell from within UT which firmware version I have? (I got my Nexus 5 pre-installed via ebay.) I'm sure this is visible somewhere in the system. Maybe boot logs?

Lakotaubp

@adeliepenguin As far as I can remember if you update to the latest android version for your device you will be perfectly Ok. I cannot recall seeing updates for radio firmware on the Nexus 7 only the 5 and that was sometime ago. Though I do stand to be corrected on that. Do a web search for where to find firmware info think I remember it in bootloader mode on Nexus 5 but........

ezze

@adeliepenguin I was upgrading radio firmware on one of my Nexus 5 after migrating from Android to Ubuntu Touch. Here is a reference:

https://forums.ubports.com/topic/815/howto-n5-update-baseband-firmware

Not sure about Nexus 7. But this is where you can check firmware images for Nexus 7:

ezze

@adeliepenguin To check radio firmware version connect your phone to your PC and enable developer mode. Then:

adb shell
/usr/share/ofono/scripts/list-modems | grep Revision

dobey

@adeliepenguin said in Install Ubuntu Touch on LG Nexus 5 with Android 4:

How can I tell from within UT which firmware version I have?

If you reboot to the bootloader screen (fastboot mode), it shows directly on the screen the radio version.

adeliepenguin

@dobey said in Install Ubuntu Touch on LG Nexus 5 with Android 4:

If you reboot to the bootloader screen (fastboot mode), it shows directly on the screen the radio version.

Thanks! I'm glad this is visible without connecting the phone to another device.

So it turns out my used Nexus 5 already has the latest version.