Installing Ubuntu Touch on Fairphone 2

wolfie

Good morning everyone,

I would like to install Ubuntu Touch (OTA 13) on a recently bought, fine working, Fairphone 2.
Yesterday, I tried this using the ubports-installer. Unfortunately, I found the GUI a little bit confusing and had to do a factory reset in order to get the phone working again (it was in a boot loop).

Unfortunately I am unable to find any decent tutorials on how to do this without using the ubports-installer. Could you please advice me in regard to what is the best way to install OTA 13 on the FP2? Please know that I've never flashed a smartphone before. I've always used android, but would really like to replace it with UT.

Thank you,

Wouter

poVoq

Sorry, I don't have a Fairphone2 (and I have heared from someone else that the UT port isn't in the best shape, might have changed as of OTA-13 though), but it is probably a similar issue as on my OnePlus3. Try flashing the recovery with TWRP first and completely wipe all partitions, make sure that they are "ext4" and also format them (I previously missed the last step).

Then exit into the bootloader and start the ubports installer again.

No guarantees that it will work on the Fairphone2, but give it a try.

Strangely none of that was necessary back when I flashed my old Nexus5; Fully automated via the ubports installer. Not sure what the difference is, but I hope it will get more user-friendly for all devices a some point.

stanwood

@wolfie Did you well activated developer mode as well as enabling USB debugging? Also your PC needs ADB and Fastboot.
Than reboot in bootloader (if needed type oem unlock at the connection). Than run the installer. Thanks to let me know.

wolfie

Hello Stanwood, poVoq,

I did enable developer mode, but not usb debugging. Definitely I will do this the next time I try.
However, I also found out that it's required to root the fairphone 2.
Just read that Fairphone 2 does not have an official way to do this.
Is this correct? Do you need to root the FP2?

Thank you in advance.

stanwood

@wolfie Don't know about rooting FP2 before installing UT. But normally if stock ROM includes latest factory images & firmwares, it should work as described above. I guess

poVoq

I don't think root is required, but it needs an unlocked bootloader.

Pulsar33

Hello
If you want be sure to get rid of this question, you may read this information and probably some Fairphone forum threads.

Abstract
Why does my Fairphone 2 not come rooted by default? Do you provide a separate rooting solution for Fairphone OS?
We always try to find the best compromise for different users. Enabling root access by default poses a security risk for less advanced users. So we decided against it. It is also a requirement of third parties whose software we ship with the phone.

The Fairphone Open OS is an official alternative with root access available
This operating system is built from the open source code released by Fairphone via code.fairphone.com. It only contains open source software with the exception of the proprietary drivers you will need to properly run the hardware. The operating system is based on the Android Open Source Project (often referred to as AOSP) so it does not include the Google Mobile Services.

This operating system enables you to activate root access through the Developer options.

Hope this can help, but I'm sure that other people here have already installed UT on FP2. Someone could have more relevant information ...

BR
Pulsar33

Opolork

I installed UT on my FP2 in mid-2019 without issue, using the UBPorts installer.

Ingo

It's definitely not necessary to root the FP2 before flashing UT.
And the bootloader of the FP2 is unlocked by default, so no need to unlock it.

What's definitely needed is to enable USB debugging.