Install /e/OS on a Google Pixel - “sailfish”

The instructions in this guide will assist you to install /e/OS on your sailfish. 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 Pixel specific topic on our community forum.

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

Downloads for sailfish

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

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.

  1. Enable OEM unlock in the Developer options under device Settings, if present.

  2. Connect your device to your PC via USB.

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

    You can also boot into fastboot mode via a key combination:

    • With the device powered off
    • hold Volume Down + Power
  4. Once the device is in fastboot mode, verify your PC finds it by typing: 
     fastboot devices
    Tip: If you see no permissions fastboot while on Linux or macOS, try running fastboot as root.

  5. Now type the following command to unlock the bootloader:

     fastboot flashing unlock

  6. If the device doesn’t automatically reboot, reboot it. It should now be unlocked.

  7. Since the device resets completely, you will need to re-enable USB debugging to continue.

Installing 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 and choose Recovery Mode.
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.

EFS/Persist Backup

Warning: The “EFS/Persist Backup” and “Repartition” steps only need to be run once, if you ran the repartition script during the installation guide, you do not need to do it again. If you are uncertain if you have ran it before, running it again is harmless.
Warning: Before processing repartition further we highly recommend you backup persist and EFS using adb or you might lose your IMEI/WIFI + BT mac addresses
  1. If you are not in recovery, reboot into recovery:
    • devices.hold_volume_down_power_recovery
  2. Now, use the volume buttons to select “Advanced”, and then “Enable ADB”.
  3. Now open Terminal (Linux/macOS), or PowerShell (Windows), run adb -d shell, and then run the following commands within it:
    • dd if=/dev/block/sdd9 of=/tmp/modemst1.img
    • dd if=/dev/block/sdd10 of=/tmp/modemst2.img
    • dd if=/dev/block/sdd3 of=/tmp/persist.img
    • exit
  4. Now from that same Terminal/PowerShell, run:
    • adb -d pull /tmp/modemst1.img
    • adb -d pull /tmp/modemst2.img
    • adb -d pull /tmp/persist.img
Tip: Make sure to store these somewhere safe in case later steps fail.

Repartition

Warning: This step is not optional, the device will not boot /e/OS without repartitioning first!
Warning: This process will wipe all data on the device, including your internal storage!
  1. Download the flashable repartition script from here for 32 GB models, and here for 128 GB models.
  2. Rename the downloaded zip file to repartition.zip.
  3. On your device’s screen, choose “Apply Update”, then “From ADB”.
  4. From your Terminal/PowerShell, run adb -d sideload /path/to/repartition.zip, filling /path/to/ in with the path you downloaded the repartition zip to.
    Tip: The repartition script package in question isn’t signed with /e/OS’s official key, and therefore when it is sideloaded, /e/OS Recovery will present a screen that says Signature verification failed, this is expected, please click Yes.
    Warning: This step may take up to 5 minutes, please ensure your USB connection/power source isn’t interrupted during this time.
  5. The device will complete the repartition process, and will display Done! on-screen, at this point please select “Advanced” then “Reboot to Recovery”, then proceed with the installation process.

Steps to install /e/OS using /e/OS recovery

Tip: Use the volume keys to navigate and power key to select
Tip: If your PC is unable to detect your device in adb ..in the /e/OS recovery main screen tap Advanced » Enable adb

On /e/OS Recovery Main Screen:

  1. Select Factory reset
  2. Select Format data / Factory reset option
  3. Next screen will display a warning that this action cannot be undone
  4. Select Format data to proceed or Cancel if you want to go back

  5. 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

  6. Display will now return to the Factory Reset screen

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

    In /e/OS Recovery main screen:

  7. Select Apply Update and in next screen Apply update from adb

  8. 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.

  9. 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

  10. Press enter key on the keyboard to start the sideloading The screen will show the progress percentage…This might pause at 47%
  11. Give it some time
  12. The PC console will now display Total xfer: 1.00x
  13. 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

  14. Use the volume key to select the back arrow on the top left of the phone screen
  15. Go back to the main screen and select Reboot system now

    The reboot process may take 5 - 10 minutes

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 Pixel specific topic on our community forum.

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