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

[Luksus]

Re: Bringing FP3 to the Ubports Installer

Hi,
I finally solved the issues on full-OTA-updates (not incremental), which also make it possible to use the UBports-Installer now.

<<< 2021-09-22: The device is now officially available in the installer, so just get the installer and install it >>>

If you don't want to loose your data, make sure you let the wipe option unchecked!

<<< 2021-08-31: The installer config got updated to Halium 10 only, for both FP3 and FP3+ >>>

To test the installer config, I would like you to download this file:
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ubports/installer-configs/7dd7c3c775f91537a5abcc54e9faf612d5d8741b/v2/devices/FP3.yml

Then you need to start the installer as follows:

# ubports-installer -f FP3.yml

I would be interested in:

• did it work for you?
• which os and version was installed before using the installer?
• if Android was installed before, did Ubuntu Touch start without wipe?
• everything else

[FP2andFP3-User]

@luksus

I have tested now...It`s not working
It was Ubuntu touch dev channel and I want to install dev channel again for testing
without wiping and without flashing android 9 again

Error: core:download: Error: core:download Error: Error: Checksum mismatch on file /home/michael/snap/ubports-installer/352/.cache/ubports/fp3/firmware/boot.img

[Luksus]

@fp2andfp3-user thanks, I assume something is wrong with the download link and the boot.img size is just some KBytes.

edit:
No, I just forgot to calculate a new checksum...
I updated the config file and the link.

[FP2andFP3-User]

@luksus I have tester again....flashing dev channel...
now everything is fine

--> good work

thank you!

[Luksus]

@fp2andfp3-user oh nice. Thanks for testing.
Then I will advertise this thread in the UBports Fairphone telegram channel, to gather some more testers.

[Oden]

@luksus Hi there!

I tried downloading the file you linked in your original post but for me, it only opens a new tab with text? Given my inexperience, I might not be the best to test this but I want to!

[Luksus]

@oden just hit Ctrl+S to save that text file (FP3.yml) to a place at your computer. Then you "downloaded" it.

But I think you have an FP3+, no? In this case, just be warned, that camera modules (and also audio afaik) will not work with this version.

[Oden]

@luksus Ah, fair enough. In that case, I'll wait. I do like taking pics after all.

[Luke]

@luksus I would love to test the installer, but I truly need to keep my /e/ os installation working, because it's my main phone. Is it possible to "install" or "test" ubports beside /e/ os? Thanks in advance!

[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.