Call for testing FP3 (also for FP3+) config for UBports-installer

Luksus

@luke perhaps you know that the FP3 is an A/B device. This means, it has two slots, where the same os is installed twice.

So you could use the installer to install UT with the android9 vendor img at the current slot, withiut wiping data. And maybe UT starts and works.
Then you could boot into fastboot/bootloader mode and switch to the other slot and boot eOS again.

But:
I don't know if UT works with eOS as base.
I don't know if UT works without wiping userdata.

The fastboot commands to get current slot and switch slot are:

fastboot getvar current-slot
fastboot --set-active=a
// or
fastboot --set-active=b

Then reboot. fastboot reboot.

Oden

@luksus This is interesting. If you dont mind the question but why does it have/needs 2 slots and why does an OS need to be installed twice? Could this mean we could have a dual boot phone in the future?

Luksus

@oden I think, this article describes it very well: https://source.android.com/devices/tech/ota/ab

And in theory, you could use it as an dual boot option.
But you may have issues with userdata partition, which exists only once, and maybe is encrypted, or each os need another format. For example, if you flash android on a phone, which was running UT before, it refuses to boot without reformatting userdata partition in most cases.

Keneda

@Luksus
It is possible to dual boot, there is work out there and tutos on xda i believe.
There is even a native uTouch app to switch to alternative os directly from uTouch, available on the OpenStore : Switch My Slot.

https://open-store.io/app/switch-my-slot.shouko

Oden

@keneda Thats really cool! I will look into it once I am back home. A dual boot would be a great advantage for those who are reliant on android apps.

Keneda

@oden
As i don't own an a/b device i never went deep on how it works, so i would advice you to search and read about how it works and how to install, if possible on your device.

You should try to contact app dev too as he must know the how to quite perfectly.

There is high risk of messing it up, so be care

Oden

@keneda Oh, absolutely. I will most likely just read about it. I just got to the point where I can use my FP3+ with UT daily and dont want to mess things up (just yet ).

As much as I am enjoying UT, I still need to use my work phone to use the Swedish ID app for a ton of things daily. A dual boot would mitigate such issues until Waydroid is fully working.

Krille

Hey there. I can confirm that the installer works quiet well But the graphics seemed to be quiet sluggish for me on my FP3.

Oden

@krille Hi there! If by sluggish you mean that there are "hiccups" or screen tearing, @Luksus mentioned to me in another post somewhere here in the Fairphone3 section where he explains why. Unless you have a different issue, of course.

Krille

@oden Yes thats exactly the issue. Sorry I didnt knew the correct word for the problem I have searched for screen tearing and hiccups but havent found the problem in this forum

Luksus

I updated the installer config.
Now it is needed to upgrade to Android 10 before installing Ubuntu Touch. (Or the other way around: it is no longer needed to downgrade to Android 9)

I will stop to maintain the Halium9 version in the near future.

unlink2

Am I correct in assuming that with Android10 being required we can test this on a FP3+ now?

Luksus

@unlink2 yes, you are right

Kjetil

I just tried the installer on a FP3+ tonight, and it worked
Before my install with the UBports-installer, I had tried to install using this guide: https://forums.ubports.com/topic/5373/fairphone-3-fp3-port
That was not successful, and left the phone without any working OS. In this state, I tried the new Ubports-installer, and all my troubles was gone ! Great work ! Thanks !

Luksus

@kjetil great that it works now.
I assume, you did forget to flash the android 9 vendor image before?

Kjetil

@luksus You are right: no flashing. I booted the vendor image to put the device in developer mode. Then I tried to install without the UBports-installer, but failed. The phone would not boot any image. Finally I tried the UBports-installer, and it installed, and worked !

Homer

@kjetil Hello,
for me the ubports installer worked, too! Kudos to you guys.

strangeli

Hi,

I am new to smartphones, tested the installer (version 0.8.9 on Ubuntu 18.04) with the Fairphone 3 (not 3+) and I got this error:

Error: adb:preparesystemimage: Error: {"error":{"code":1,"cmd":"adb -P 5037 shell mkdir -p /cache/recovery"},"stderr":"mkdir: '/cache/recovery': Required key not available"}

I reported the bug here: https://github.com/ubports/ubports-installer/issues/2155

I followed all instructions. Bootloader was unlocked, developer mode enabled, USB on debugging and file transfer. If I ignore the error, the installer shows success but the phone stays in Ubport Recovery and I can not boot Ubuntu Touch at all. I can reproduce the error, just installed /e/ now to have a break (since my old phone is broken).

I am interested but probably rather user than developer. But I switched to smartphones very late (due to all this OS mess) and had one year sailfish OS now. I chose FP3 to get ubuntu touch and really, really want it to work...

If you have any ideas, please let me know.

stanwood

@strangeli

Hi,

difficult to help you precisely.
But there are a few stuffs to explore:

Check your USB-C cable and try with another USB port. (preferably USB 2.0)
Check that you have the adb and fastboot packages on your computer:

sudo apt-get install adb
sudo apt-get install fastboot

Check that your PC has access to your device in fastboot mode:

fastboot oem unlock

In principle, the device must be in Android 9 version, because of the compatibility of firmwares. So you have to downgrade to an Android 9 version (or LineageOS 16 or /e/OS Android 9)
You can try to get the ISO of Ubuntu 20.04.3 and run it in a live USB session and then try to install it on Focal (I assume that the installer is configured for 20.04 and later)

Hopefully these hints will help you. If not you can also ask for help on the Telegram thread:

https://t.me/WelcomePlus

Hopefully these tips will help you. I wish you success in your installation.

strangeli

@stanwood

Ok, thank you, I will try soonish. I first asked in the telegram group and they referred me to this forum.

adb and fastboot was installed correctly and since I had no problem entering UBports recovery mode or flashing /e/, there should be access to the device. I thought I read that the installer is for Ubuntu 18.04+ and that I can depart from Android 10 but maybe it's worth trying from 20.04 and Android 9 then. I will check, thanks.

Good to have the live stick anyway for upgrading my laptop ;-), was next on the list.