Install /e/OS on a Essential Essential PH-1 - “mata”

The instructions in this guide will assist you to install /e/OS on your mata. 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 Essential PH-1 specific topic on our community forum.

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

Downloads for mata

Try the /e/OS Recovery (limited functionality)

/e/OS Recovery for community build

/e/OS build : T community

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

Stock ROM : here
Stock flashing tool : here

Follow the steps to install the stock ROM as given on the vendor site

Once the Stock ROM is flashed check if it is working for e.g receiving and making calls, audio, FMRadio ..

Next enable developer options on the phone

Ensure the device bootloader is unlocked. Flashing stock ROM can lock the bootloader on some devices.

Follow the device unlock guidelines as suggested by your vendor. For e.g. on Xiaomi devices it would require running the Mi Unlock tool. Since the device was already unlocked the process should take a couple of minutes only.

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

Unlocking the bootloader

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

Warning: Unlocking the bootloader will erase all data on your device! Before proceeding, ensure the data you would like to retain is backed up to your PC and/or an online drive

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.

Connect your device to your PC via USB.
Enable OEM unlock in the Developer options under device Settings, if present.
On the computer, open a command prompt (on Windows) or terminal (on Linux or macOS) window, and type:
```
 adb reboot bootloader
```
Once the device is in fastboot mode, verify your PC finds it by typing:
```
 fastboot devices
```
Unlock bootloader
```
 fastboot flashing unlock
```
Unlock critical partition
```
 fastboot flashing unlock_critical
```

Temporarily Booting a custom recovery using `fastboot`

Connect your device to your PC via USB.
On the computer, open a command prompt (on Windows) or terminal (on Linux or macOS) window, and type:
```
 adb reboot bootloader
```
Once the device is in fastboot mode, verify your PC finds it by typing:
```
 fastboot devices
```
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
Manually reboot into recovery mode

With the device powered off
hold Volume Up + 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.

Steps to install /e/OS from recovery

Tip: Use the volume keys to navigate and power key to select

Tip: Use the volume up key to choose the arrow at the top to go back to main screen

Tip: If your PC is unable to detect your device with adb in the /e/OS recovery main screen tap Advanced » Enable adb

Format the device

On /e/OS Recovery main screen:

Select Factory reset
Select Format data / Factory reset option
Next screen will display a warning that this action cannot be undone
Select Format data to proceed or Cancel if you want to go back
If you selected Format data, the format process will complete

Tip: You will see text in small font on the lower left side of the screen mentioning format progress

The small font text would be similar to this
```
 Wiping data
 Formatting/data
 Formatting/cache
 Data wipe complete
```
Display will now return to the Factory Reset screen

Install /e/OS

In /e/OS recovery main screen:

Select Apply Update and in next screen Apply update from adb
In the next screen, the device is now in sideload mode

Note at this point the Cancel option is highlighted that does not mean you have canceled the action. The device is in adb sideload mode.
On your PC type begin adb sideload. Type the below command in a console

adb sideload downloaded_file_name.zip

Replace downloaded_file_name.zip with the name of the /e/OS file you downloaded in the previous section
Press enter key on the keyboard to start the sideloading The screen will show the progress percentage…This might pause at 47%
Give it some time
The PC console will now display Total xfer: 1.00x
The phone screen will now display some text with a message similar to

Script succeeded result was [1.000000]

This means that the install was successful.

Reboot the device