How to install Ubuntu touch on Mi A2 by simple way?

Sann · 9 Oct 2021, 12:27

Dear community,
I already tried with UBports to install Ubuntu touch on my Mi A2. But it is not working yet. UBports doesn't respond anything after choosing vendor.img file and press continue.

Here is my progress.

Unlocked the phone
Developer Options > Enable USB debugging
Make sure Android 9
Universal ADB Driver Install
UBport installer 0.91 Beta detects automatically Mi A2.
Choose Ubuntu touch OS.
Choose the release version. ( I already try all of them).
Select vendor.img file that I downloaded manually.
Press continue.

But, UBport doesn't change anything and does not respond.
Please guide me to other options. If it is not necessary, it is better to not root my phone.

Best regards
Sann

Moem · 9 Oct 2021, 12:32

@sann Try using an older version of the installer. It seems that 0.8.8 is working well for many people.
Get it here: https://github.com/ubports/ubports-installer/releases/tag/0.8.8-beta

Sann · 9 Oct 2021, 14:27

@moem It really works with the 0.8.8 beta installer. I successfully finish installing the Ubuntu touch on the Xiaomi Mi A2 device. Thank you so much.

Moem · 9 Oct 2021, 14:28

@sann Glad to hear it and I'm happy that I could help!

anandandlavie · 10 Oct 2021, 01:21

Can you post here how you installed the 0.8.8. version of ubports-installer via snap?

I am unable to figure out what options to give to snap to precisely install the 0.8.8 version.

Many thanks in advance!

Lakotaubp · 10 Oct 2021, 05:06

@anandandlavie You should just be able to download the installer using the link and install it as normal https://github.com/ubports/ubports-installer/releases/tag/0.8.8-beta Are you having issues with the link?

anandandlavie · 10 Oct 2021, 19:12

@lakotaubp thank you for your message. I downloaded the linked file " ubports-installer_0.8.8-beta_linux_amd64.deb" and tried to install it on my linux machine with the command:

sudo dpkg -i ~/Downloads/ubports-installer_0.8.8-beta_linux_amd64.deb

and it gave me the following error:

Selecting previously unselected package ubports-installer.
(Reading database ... 457343 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../ubports-installer_0.8.8-beta_linux_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking ubports-installer (0.8.8-beta) ...
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of ubports-installer:
ubports-installer depends on libappindicator1; however:
Package libappindicator1 is not installed.
ubports-installer depends on android-tools-adb; however:
Package android-tools-adb is not installed.
ubports-installer depends on android-tools-fastboot; however:
Package android-tools-fastboot is not installed.
ubports-installer depends on heimdall-flash; however:
Package heimdall-flash is not installed.

dpkg: error processing package ubports-installer (--install):
dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Processing triggers for hicolor-icon-theme (0.15-0ubuntu1.1) ...
Processing triggers for gnome-menus (3.13.3-6ubuntu3.1) ...
Processing triggers for desktop-file-utils (0.22-1ubuntu5.2) ...
Processing triggers for bamfdaemon (0.5.3~bzr0+16.04.20180209-0ubuntu1) ...
Rebuilding /usr/share/applications/bamf-2.index...
Processing triggers for mime-support (3.59ubuntu1) ...
Errors were encountered while processing:
ubports-installer

I am not sure what dependency problems were encountered during the installation (see above). If you may be able to help with this that would be very appreciated!

Many thanks!

anandandlavie · 10 Oct 2021, 19:19

Nevermind... I just ran "sudo apt-get install -f" without any package info after the error came up and it resolved the dependencies and installed the dependencies and ubports-installer 0.8.8.

However I am still not sure why it would resolve itself by running apt-get install -f without any packages. Experienced people's linux insight would be appreciated.

Many thanks!

Lakotaubp · 11 Oct 2021, 11:39

@anandandlavie Sorry for late reply. I have only ever install the installer using the standard download and have had no issue there. For the rest you will need someone with a much better knowledge of these things than me.

anandandlavie · 12 Oct 2021, 20:39

@lakotaubp, thanks for your help regardless!

mkarpicki · 19 Dec 2021, 01:31

I had similar experience on my Ubuntu. Additionally I saw fastboot crashing with message "press any key to shutdown".
On some other thread (which I will also look to comment) I saw suggestions about USB port. Changing of port on my laptop did not work as I have only usb 3.0 but I tried to use other laptop (Mac, with installer suggested by @Moem ), and it worked !