Install /e/OS on a Samsung Galaxy S7 - “herolte”

The instructions in this guide will assist you to install /e/OS on your herolte. 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.
  • A guide on backing up with TWRP is available here
  • Ensure your phone is charged more than 50%
  • Check that adb is 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 Galaxy S7 specific topic on our community forum.

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

Downloads for herolte

  • If you need to revert to stock ROM (vendor provided ROM), Please follow the instructions given in the OS specific guide linked here
Tip: Installing a custom recovery or unlocking the bootloader will erase all data on your device! Take a backup of your data before proceeding!!
  • Custom recovery (not required if you already have it running on your phone)

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

Warning: Please note some of the above links can lead to external sites

Preparing for installation using Heimdall

Samsung devices come with a unique boot mode called “Download mode”, which is very similar to “Fastboot mode” on some devices with unlocked bootloaders. Heimdall is a cross-platform, open-source tool for interfacing with Download mode on Samsung devices. The preferred method of installing a custom recovery is through Download Mode – rooting the stock firmware is neither necessary nor required.

  1. Enable Developer Options by pressing the Build Number option in the Settings app within the About menu
    • From within the Developer options menu, enable OEM unlock.
  2. Download and install the appropriate version of the Heimdall suite for your machine’s OS
    • Windows: Extract the Heimdall suite zip and take note of the new directory containing heimdall.exe. You can verify Heimdall is functioning by opening a Command Prompt or PowerShell in that directory and running heimdall version.
    • Linux: Extract the Heimdall suite zip and take note of the new directory containing heimdall. Now copy heimdall into a directory in $PATH, a common one on most distros will be /usr/local/bin. For example cp heimdall /usr/local/bin. You can verify Heimdall is functioning by opening a Terminal and running heimdall version.
    • macOS: Mount the Heimdall suite DMG. Now drag heimdall down into the /usr/local/bin symlink provided in the DMG. You can verify Heimdall is functioning by opening a Terminal and running heimdall version.
    Tip: These Heimdall suite distributions were built by LineageOS Developer Nolen Johnson (npjohnson) and Jan Altensen (Stricted)
  3. Power off the device, and boot it into download mode:
    • With the device powered off
    • hold Volume Down + Home + Power
    • Now, click the button that the on screen instructions correlate to Continue, and insert the USB cable into the device.
  4. For Windows users only: install the necessary drivers. A more complete set of instructions can be found in the Zadig user guide.
    1. If nothing relevant appears, try uninstalling any Samsung related Windows software, like Samsung Windows drivers and/or Samsung Kies.
    2. Run zadig.exe found in your extracted Heimdall directory.
      Tip: For the interested, source and documentation for zadig.exe can be found here.
    3. Choose Options » List all devices from the menu.
    4. Select Samsung USB Composite Device or MSM8x60 or Gadget Serial or Device Name from the drop down menu.
    5. Click Replace Driver, then selecting Install Driver from the drop down list built into the button.
    6. If you are prompted with a warning that the installer is unable to verify the publisher of the driver, select Install this driver anyway. You may receive two more prompts about security. Select the options that accept the warnings and allow you to carry on.
  5. On your machine, open a Command Prompt or PowerShell (Windows) window, or Terminal (Linux or macOS) window, and type: 
    heimdall print-pit
  6. If the device reboots that indicates that Heimdall is installed and working properly. If it does not, please refollow these instructions to verify steps weren’t missed, try a different USB cable, and a different USB port.

Installing a custom recovery using Heimdall

  1. Download the custom recovery linked in the Download section above

  2. Power off the device and connect the USB adapter to the computer (but not to the device, yet).
  3. Boot into download mode:
    • With the device powered off
    • hold Volume Down + Home + Power

    Accept the disclaimer, then insert the USB cable into the device.

  4. On the computer, open a command prompt (on Windows) or terminal (on Linux or macOS) window in the directory the recovery image is located, and type: 
    heimdall flash --RECOVERY recoveryfilename.img --no-reboot

    Replace the recoveryfilename with the name of the recovery image you downloaded

  5. A blue transfer bar will appear on the device showing the recovery being transferred.
  6. Unplug the USB cable from your device.
  7. Manually reboot into recovery:
    • With the device powered off, hold Volume Up + Home + Power. When the blue text appears, release the buttons.

    Note: Be sure to reboot into recovery immediately after having installed the custom recovery. Otherwise the custom recovery will be overwritten and the device will reboot (appearing as though your custom recovery failed to install).

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.

    Tip: If your device doesn’t appear during adb sideload or shows that it is waiting for the device, try running adb usb to restart ADB in USB mode, if it isn’t already in that mode.
    • 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 Galaxy S7 specific topic on our community forum.

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

This documentation “Install /e/OS on a Samsung Galaxy S7 - “herolte”” is a derivative of “install LineageOS on herolte” by The LineageOS Project, used under CC BY.