Install /e/OS on a Sony Xperia XZ3 - “akatsuki”

The instructions in this guide will assist you to install /e/OS on your akatsuki. Please read through the instructions at least once before actually following them, so as to avoid any problems later.

It is important that you know that downgrading Smartphones on OS versions greater than the /e/OS OS version you plan to install, can cause instability or at worst brick some devices. We recommend that you check your current OS version, before attempting the installation.

It is advisable to flash your device only if you know what you are doing and are ok taking the associated risk. All /e/OS builds are provided as best effort, without any guarantee. The /e/OS project and its project members deny any and all responsibility about the consequences of using /e/OS software and or /e/OS services.

Requirements

  • If required take a backup of all important data from your phone on an external storage device before proceeding.
  • Do not take a backup on the same device as some of these actions will format the device and delete the backup.
  • Ensure your phone is charged more than 50%
  • Check that adb and fastboot are enabled on your PC. If not you can find the setup instructions here
  • Download all the files and images mentioned in the download section below before starting the installation

  • Make sure you have a working data cable to connect your device to the PC. There are cables which are only for charging and do not transfer data.

  • Enable USB debugging on your device. You can find the instructions here
  • Make sure that your model is listed in the Smartphone Selector. Check the model supported. Where available, information on the model supported should show as a pop-up when you hover the cursor on the Device name. The model number supported should be the exact same.
  • Boot your device with the stock OS at least once and check every functionality.
Warning: Make sure that you can send and receive SMS and place and receive calls (also via WiFi and LTE, if available), otherwise it will not work on /e/OS as well. Additionally, some devices require that VoLTE/VoWiFi be utilized once on stock to provision IMS.

Please share your experience , suggest tips or changes to this install guide documentation by visiting the Xperia XZ3 specific topic on our community forum.

To report issues in /e/OS please refer this guide

Downloads for akatsuki

Tip: Before installing /e/OS on the Sony Xperia XZ3 akatsuki for the first time, install the latest stock OS version 10 build on the device

Try the /e/OS Recovery (limited functionality)

To understand the difference between /e/OS builds check this guide

  • Check the Pre-Install Instructions section below for some additional downloads for your device.
Warning: Please note some of the above links can lead to external sites
  • Before following these instructions please ensure that the device is on the latest Android 10 firmware.

Unlocking the bootloader

Tip: The steps given below only need to be run once per device.
Warning: Some vendors/manufacturers prevent the bootloader from being unlocked. Depending on where your device was acquired you may or may not be able to unlock the bootloader. To verify if your device is compatible please check the devices list.
Warning: Unlocking the bootloader will erase all data on your device! This also includes your DRM keys, which are stored in the Trim Area partition (also called TA). Before proceeding, ensure the data you would like to retain is backed up to your PC and/or your Google account, or equivalent. Please note that OEM backup solutions like Samsung and Motorola backup may not be accessible from /e/OS once installed. If you wish to backup the TA partition first, you can find tutorials related to your device on the internet.
  1. On the device, dial *#*#7378423#*#* (*#*#SERVICE#*#*) to launch the service menu.
  2. Go to service info > configuration and check rooting status - you can only continue if it says Bootloader unlock allowed: Yes.
  3. Connect the device to your PC via USB.

  4. On the computer, open a command prompt (on Windows) or terminal (on Linux or macOS) window, and type:

     adb reboot bootloader
  5. Follow the instructions on Sony’s official unlocking website to unlock your bootloader.

  6. Use your code to unlock the bootloader of your device:

    fastboot oem unlock <your_unlock_code>

  7. Since the device resets completely, you will need to re-enable USB debugging to continue (Settings->About Phone->Build version, and then you can go to Settings->Developer opptions to enable USB debugging).

Temporarily Booting a custom recovery using fastboot

  1. Connect your device to your PC via USB.

  2. On the computer, open a command prompt (on Windows) or terminal (on Linux or macOS) window, and type: 
     adb reboot bootloader
  3. Once the device is in fastboot mode, verify your PC finds it by typing: 
     fastboot devices
  4. Flash a recovery image onto your device 
     fastboot flash boot recoveryfilename.img

    Replace the recoveryfilename with the name of the recovery image you downloaded in the previous section

  5. Manually reboot into recovery mode
  • With the device powered off
  • hold Volume Down + Power
Tip: Outdated fastboot releases dropped legacy A/B support, so it might attempt to flash to boot__a / boot__b rather than boot_a / boot_b if you try to flash boot. In this case, you must update fastboot to a release newer than or equal to 31.0.2. Alternatively, you can manually specify which slot to flash to based on what slot fastboot failed to flash to. For example, if fastboot fails to flash to boot__a, you must flash to boot_a.

Ensuring all firmware partitions are consistent

Tip: The steps below only need to be run once per device.

In some cases, the inactive slot can be unpopulated or contain much older firmware than the active slot, leading to various issues including a potential hard-brick. We can ensure none of that will happen by copying the contents of the active slot to the inactive slot.

To do this, sideload the copy-partitions-20220613-signed.zip package by doing the following:

  1. Download the copy-partitions-20220613-signed.zip file from here. It should have a MD5 sum of 79f2f860830f023b7030c29bfbea7737 or a SHA-256 sum of 92f03b54dc029e9ca2d68858c14b649974838d73fdb006f9a07a503f2eddd2cd.

  2. Sideload the copy-partitions-20220613-signed.zip package: * On the device, select Apply Update, then Apply from ADB to begin sideload. * On the host machine, sideload the package using: adb sideload copy-partitions-20220613-signed.zip

  3. Now reboot to recovery by tapping Advanced, then Reboot to recovery.

Installing /e/OS from recovery

  1. Before proceeding ensure you have downloaded the /e/OS for your device, from the link given in the Downloads section above

  2. If you aren’t already in recovery mode, reboot into recovery mode

    • by typing the below command in the console of an adb enabled PC
     adb reboot recovery

  3. In TWRP return to main menu, then tap Wipe

  4. Now tap Format Data and continue with the formatting process.

    Here a new screen may show where you will have to type Yes and confirm the action by clicking a button.

    Caution: Format Data will remove encryption as well as delete all files stored on the internal storage. Remember to take a backup first. Check Requirements section above.

  5. Return to the previous menu and tap Advanced Wipe.

  6. Select the Cache and System partitions to be wiped and then Swipe to Wipe

  7. Sideload the /e/OS .zip package.

    Tip: Sideload requires actions in two places to be done. One on your phone in the TWRP UI and secondly on the connected PC which should have adb enabled. Also note the sideload process while running may stop abruptly around 50%. The console would show a message Total xfer: 1.00x. This would mean that the transfer has successfully completed.
    • On the device in TWRP,

      select Advanced, ADB Sideload, then swipe to begin sideload.

    • On the host machine, in the console , start the sideload of the package by typing
     adb sideload filename.zip
    Tip: Change the filename to the name of the file you downloaded

  8. Once installation has finished, return to the main menu, tap Reboot, and then System

Warning: Avoid installing any additional apps or services if suggested by the recovery. They may cause your device to bootloop, as well as attempt to access and or corrupt your data.
Success: Congratulations !! Your phone should now be booting into /e/OS !!
To find some troubleshooting tips… click here

adb

  • Getting a Total xFer ':' 0.01x message - Try to upload the /e/OS to internal storage and retry to install
  • adb ':' sideload connection failed ':' insufficient permissions for device error - Try to execute the commands adb kill-server and adb start-server and retry
  • Running adb shell twrp install /sdcard/</e/OS zip package> raise non-existent directory error - Try to check solution here
  • Getting an insufficient permissions error - Try the solution given here
  • When running "adb devices" in bash a device is shown as "unauthorized" - Try the solution given here

TWRP

  • Errors while running TWRP version 3.4.x.x or above - Try downloading and using a previous TWRP version.. below 3.4.x.x
  • In TWRP if this error shows up failed to mount /preload - Try in TWRP wipe screen in advanced menu select preload and swipe to wipe
  • /cache/recovery/xxx -> no such file or directory error while flashing a ROM - On PC run adb shell in the console now create a folder called recovery for e.g. here the devicecode name is violet "violet :/cache# mkdir recovery"

Connectivity

  • Trying to troubleshoot mobile connectivity issues - Read this guide



Please share your experience , suggest tips or changes to this install guide documentation by visiting the Xperia XZ3 specific topic on our community forum.

To report issues in /e/OS please refer this guide

This documentation “Install /e/OS on a Sony Xperia XZ3 - “akatsuki”” is a derivative of “install LineageOS on akatsuki” by The LineageOS Project, used under CC BY.