Shiftphone 8 doesn't boot android anymore

S

smartphone-user

Member
Original poster
17 Mai 2026
6
Hi everyone,

thanks at lot for your investment in fair phones and foss!

I successfully installed pmos to the superpartition in slot a. My aim was to have a dual boot setup with android in slot b. Although the phone didn't boot to shiftos in slot b. (Is slot b empty per default?) After that I flashed shiftos, e os in slot a and also b, which didn't lead to bootable android. pmos I didn't flash again for now. Symptoms in my case seem similar to https://forum.shiftphones.com/threads/shift6mq-bricked-stuck-in-boot-fastboot-mode-screen.6198/ .

I realized that shiftos but also eg e os fastboot packages don't contain init_boot image file, despite the partition should be erased for pmos install according to https://wiki.postmarketos.org/wiki/...er)#Manual_installation_on_userdata_partition . Is it possible the boot problem is connected to that? If so could you please publish this image file (Without having looked into it more deeply it could be created from boot img file? See reddit.)? For now I havent really looked at how to get boot logs (Edit: Seems UART would allow that...).

Best wishes :)
 
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So you can enter fastboot? Could you try fastboot getvar all
(Please delete you serial numbers before sharing)
 
Yes I can still enter fastboot. Also I tried to flash pmos again this time using userdata for rootfs, which didn't lead to a booting pmos. I now tried to flash shiftos 6.3, 6.4 and 6.5. This will change output of fastboot getvar all for at least version-bootloader and variant. After flashing shiftos 6.4 to slot a I get:

Code: 
$ fastboot getvar all
(bootloader) parallel-download-flash:yes
(bootloader) hw-revision:10000
(bootloader) unlocked:yes
(bootloader) off-mode-charge:1
(bootloader) charger-screen-enabled:1
(bootloader) battery-soc-ok:yes
(bootloader) battery-voltage:4359
(bootloader) version-baseband:
(bootloader) version-bootloader:6.3
(bootloader) erase-block-size: 0x1000
(bootloader) logical-block-size: 0x1000
(bootloader) variant:QCM6490 UFS
(bootloader) partition-type:fsc:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:fsc: 0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:fsg:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:fsg: 0x300000
(bootloader) partition-type:modemst2:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:modemst2: 0x300000
(bootloader) partition-type:modemst1:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:modemst1: 0x300000
(bootloader) partition-type:ALIGN_TO_128K_2:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:ALIGN_TO_128K_2: 0x1A000
(bootloader) partition-type:rtice:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:rtice: 0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:tzsc:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:tzsc: 0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:connsec:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:connsec: 0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:mdcompress:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:mdcompress: 0x1400000
(bootloader) partition-type:vm-data:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:vm-data: 0x20A4000
(bootloader) partition-type:catecontentfv:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:catecontentfv: 0x100000
(bootloader) partition-type:catefv:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:catefv: 0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:secdata:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:secdata: 0x7000
(bootloader) partition-type:uefivarstore:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:uefivarstore: 0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:storsec:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:storsec: 0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:pstore:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:pstore: 0x4000000
(bootloader) partition-type:logdump:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:logdump: 0x20000000
(bootloader) partition-type:quantumsdk:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:quantumsdk: 0x2800000
(bootloader) partition-type:logfs:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:logfs: 0x800000
(bootloader) partition-type:toolsfv:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:toolsfv: 0x100000
(bootloader) partition-type:limits-cdsp:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:limits-cdsp: 0x1000
(bootloader) partition-type:limits:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:limits: 0x1000
(bootloader) partition-type:splash:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:splash: 0x20A4000
(bootloader) partition-type:apdp:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:apdp: 0x40000
(bootloader) partition-type:dip:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:dip: 0x100000
(bootloader) partition-type:devinfo:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:devinfo: 0x1000
(bootloader) partition-type:qweslicstore_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:qweslicstore_b: 0x40000
(bootloader) partition-type:vendor_boot_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:vendor_boot_b: 0x6000000
(bootloader) partition-type:featenabler_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:featenabler_b: 0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:cpucp_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:cpucp_b: 0x100000
(bootloader) partition-type:multiimgoem_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:multiimgoem_b: 0x8000
(bootloader) partition-type:shrm_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:shrm_b: 0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:imagefv_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:imagefv_b: 0x200000
(bootloader) partition-type:uefisecapp_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:uefisecapp_b: 0x200000
(bootloader) partition-type:dtbo_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:dtbo_b: 0x1800000
(bootloader) partition-type:vbmeta_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:vbmeta_b: 0x10000
(bootloader) partition-type:qupfw_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:qupfw_b: 0x14000
(bootloader) partition-type:devcfg_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:devcfg_b: 0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:boot_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:boot_b: 0x6000000
(bootloader) partition-type:keymaster_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:keymaster_b: 0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:dsp_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:dsp_b: 0x4000000
(bootloader) partition-type:abl_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:abl_b: 0x100000
(bootloader) partition-type:mdtp_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:mdtp_b: 0x2000000
(bootloader) partition-type:mdtpsecapp_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:mdtpsecapp_b: 0x400000
(bootloader) partition-type:bluetooth_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:bluetooth_b: 0x400000
(bootloader) partition-type:modem_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:modem_b: 0xDC00000
(bootloader) partition-type:hyp_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:hyp_b: 0x800000
(bootloader) partition-type:tz_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:tz_b: 0x400000
(bootloader) partition-type:aop_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:aop_b: 0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:qweslicstore_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:qweslicstore_a: 0x40000
(bootloader) partition-type:qmcs:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:qmcs: 0x1E00000
(bootloader) partition-type:vendor_boot_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:vendor_boot_a: 0x6000000
(bootloader) partition-type:featenabler_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:featenabler_a: 0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:cpucp_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:cpucp_a: 0x100000
(bootloader) partition-type:multiimgoem_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:multiimgoem_a: 0x8000
(bootloader) partition-type:shrm_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:shrm_a: 0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:imagefv_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:imagefv_a: 0x200000
(bootloader) partition-type:uefisecapp_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:uefisecapp_a: 0x200000
(bootloader) partition-type:dtbo_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:dtbo_a: 0x1800000
(bootloader) partition-type:vbmeta_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:vbmeta_a: 0x10000
(bootloader) partition-type:qupfw_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:qupfw_a: 0x14000
(bootloader) partition-type:devcfg_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:devcfg_a: 0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:boot_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:boot_a: 0x6000000
(bootloader) partition-type:keymaster_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:keymaster_a: 0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:dsp_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:dsp_a: 0x4000000
(bootloader) partition-type:abl_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:abl_a: 0x100000
(bootloader) partition-type:mdtp_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:mdtp_a: 0x2000000
(bootloader) partition-type:mdtpsecapp_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:mdtpsecapp_a: 0x400000
(bootloader) partition-type:bluetooth_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:bluetooth_a: 0x400000
(bootloader) partition-type:modem_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:modem_a: 0xDC00000
(bootloader) partition-type:hyp_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:hyp_a: 0x800000
(bootloader) partition-type:tz_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:tz_a: 0x400000
(bootloader) partition-type:aop_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:aop_a: 0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:ddr:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:ddr: 0x100000
(bootloader) partition-type:cdt:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:cdt: 0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:ALIGN_TO_128K_1:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:ALIGN_TO_128K_1: 0x1A000
(bootloader) partition-type:xbl_config_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:xbl_config_b: 0x3A000
(bootloader) partition-type:xbl_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:xbl_b: 0x385000
(bootloader) partition-type:xbl_config_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:xbl_config_a: 0x3A000
(bootloader) partition-type:xbl_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:xbl_a: 0x385000
(bootloader) partition-type:userdata:f2fs
(bootloader) partition-size:userdata: 0x6EC6D53000
(bootloader) partition-type:efi:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:efi: 0x40000000
(bootloader) partition-type:rawdump:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:rawdump: 0x30C800000
(bootloader) partition-type:metadata:ext4
(bootloader) partition-size:metadata: 0x1000000
(bootloader) partition-type:vbmeta_system_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:vbmeta_system_b: 0x10000
(bootloader) partition-type:vbmeta_system_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:vbmeta_system_a: 0x10000
(bootloader) partition-type:recovery_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:recovery_b: 0x7800000
(bootloader) partition-type:recovery_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:recovery_a: 0x7800000
(bootloader) partition-type:super:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:super: 0x180000000
(bootloader) partition-type:frp:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:frp: 0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:oem:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:oem: 0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:keystore:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:keystore: 0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:misc:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:misc: 0x100000
(bootloader) partition-type:persist:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:persist: 0x2000000
(bootloader) partition-type:ssd:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:ssd: 0x2000
(bootloader) partition-type:init_boot_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:init_boot_b: 0x800000
(bootloader) partition-type:init_boot_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:init_boot_a: 0x800000
(bootloader) has-slot:modem:yes
(bootloader) has-slot:system:no
(bootloader) current-slot:a
(bootloader) has-slot:boot:yes
(bootloader) slot-retry-count:b:7
(bootloader) slot-unbootable:b:no
(bootloader) slot-successful:b:no
(bootloader) slot-retry-count:a:7
(bootloader) slot-unbootable:a:no
(bootloader) slot-successful:a:no
(bootloader) slot-count:2
(bootloader) secure:yes
(bootloader) serialno:
(bootloader) product:otter
(bootloader) snapshot-update-status:none
(bootloader) is-userspace:no
(bootloader) max-download-size:805306368
(bootloader) kernel:uefi
 
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I am not able to help you with the problem I guess, but if there is someone coming by (like @amartinz or Caleb), the output of fastboot oem device-info might be helpful to them too
 
Thank you anyhow!

Code: 
$ fastboot oem device-info
(bootloader) Verity mode: true
(bootloader) Device unlocked: true
(bootloader) Device critical unlocked: true
(bootloader) Charger screen enabled: true
(bootloader) User public key set: false
(bootloader) Mainline optimization enabled: true
(bootloader) Developer mode enabled: true
(bootloader) Rollback index (0): 0
(bootloader) Rollback index (1): 0
(bootloader) Rollback index (2): 0
 
Yes I tried the shiftos 6.5 fastboot package, that you link and it didn't work.

I just flashed it again and just noticed bootloader version stays at 6.3. That is expected?
 
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Yes, because there were no bootloader updates since then.

I currently really do not know, what could be the issue that way.
Soooo, you could try some brute-force.

Code: 
# Set slot to A, which resets a few counters.
fastboot --set-active=a

# Reset the SPL level, even though it shows 0 for you.
fastboot oem reset-spl

# Disable mainline optimizations, just in case.
fastboot oem disable-mainline-optimization

# Wipe a few things, which should have usually happened
# already when using the fastboot packages.
fastboot -w
 
Okay. I ran those commands, but booting shiftos afterwards still does not work. fastboot -w output had two lines which probably are not a problem, but here they are anyhow to be sure:

Code: 
[...]
Warning: skip copying userdata image avb footer due to sparse image.
[...]
wipe task partition not found: cache
[...]
 
At this point i hope nothing got damaged which requires QFIL/EDL to fix it, because that would involve sending the device back in for repair, as we can not publish these tools :/

Did you try booting pmOS since then, if that still works?
 
Okay. I had tried booting pmos again and it didn't work, after I had tried to install it again this second time the rootfs to userdata partition. Before that I had flashed shiftos to both slots.

Is init_boot partition required for succesfully booting shiftos? I had erased it according to https://wiki.postmarketos.org/wiki/...er)#Manual_installation_on_userdata_partition . On the other hand pmos isn't booting anymore either, so erased init_boot parition cannot be the problem... Do you have any suspiscion what the problem could be, that could only be fixed by edl?

Apart from that according to llms fastboot boot boot.img isn't supposed to work on shiftphone 8. That is correct?
 
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init_boot is a partition that exists but is not used currently.

I have edited the wiki to remove this, to prevent confusion.

fastboot boot boot.img works here on my end, so it should work.

smartphone-user schrieb:
Do you have any suspiscion what the problem could be, that could only be fixed by edl?
Zum Vergrößern anklicken....
I once had the issue, that for whatever reason it got confused by LUNs and tried to boot a non-existant slot.
Then i was able to force set it to something different using edl and it worked again.

I think the command was edl --memory=ufs --loader=prog_firehose_ddr.elf e misc --lun=0, but it would not be helpful to you as the loader is not available :/
 
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