Cannot load android system. Your data my be corrupt.

meemaw

My childs Pixel 6a ran out of power around noon. Child charged It and it started up fine.
Few hours later it crashed and reboots into this screen:

GrapheneOS Recovery
google/bluejay/bluejay
15/AP4A.241205.013/2024121200
user/release-keys
Use volume up/down and power.
Cannot load Android system. Your data may be corrupt. If you continue to get this message, you may need to perform a factory data reset and erase all user data stored on this device.
Try again
Factory data reset

I did some research and found similar issues pointing to this guide https://grapheneos.org/usage#updates-sideloading
Unfortunately this didn't help. Still keep getting the error.
Any idea what else I could try to have a chance to get this fixed without erasing data? Would be a pitty to loose some of the photos. Unfortunately there is no backup :-(

KleinesSinchen

Are you sure you (or your child) didn't type the duress pin/password?
Doing this makes the phone turn off almost instantly (after destroying encryption keys preventing any recovery by design).

I think it is unlikely the OS is corrupted, especially when sideloading an update didn't help.

My guess is factory reset is the only option and should revive the phone (albeit not the data of course).

meemaw

Hi KleinesSinnchen, thanks for your reply. I've got some new information. The pin/password to unlock the device was changed and used few times yesterday before the system crashed. The phone crashed after pin was entered. Password/pin was changed same way few weeks ago. There is a chance that Duress pin/password was accidently setup. Strange thing is, that this pin was used few times to unlock the phone so i don't get why it suddenly was wiped. Will try to find out.
So there is a chance that password and duress was set accidently to same password.
Is there a way to access file system via adb/fastboot and try to see whether something is left using the password to decrypt storage? I don't have much knowledge in this area so sorry if this is a stupid question.

other8026

meemaw There is a chance that Duress pin/password was accidently setup.

meemaw Is there a way to access file system via adb/fastboot and try to see whether something is left using the password to decrypt storage?

If the duress PIN/password was used, then no, it wouldn't be possible to get any data off of the phone.

meemaw Strange thing is, that this pin was used few times to unlock the phone so i don't get why it suddenly was wiped.

Here's a quote from the section about the duress PIN on the website:

Note that if the duress PIN/Password is the same as the actual unlock method, the actual unlock method always takes precedence, and therefore no wipe will occur.

So, if the real PIN and the duress PIN were the same, then the profile's PIN was changed and then someone later used the old/duress PIN, the phone would be wiped.

meemaw

Ok, so duress pin was setup accidently and was same as the unlock password.
Unlock password was changed to pin afterwards as the password was to cumbersome to unlock device.
So the phone was unlocked with pin few times and the password was not used. So we don't know when the wipe was initiated. I'm afraid it's like it is and somehow the duress porcess was kicked off.
So this means data is wiped an no chance to get access to file system as nothing is left, right.
:-(

meemaw

Thanks @other8026 and @KleinesSinchen for your swift replies.

I talked to my child to get a better understanding of what has happened.
So fact is that duress password was setup accidently and was same as unlock password.
Unlock password was changed back to pin.
Pin was used multiple times to unlock device.
Child sure that password (duress) was not used anymore as it was cumbersome.
Not sure how the duress wipe process was started. We agreed that we will select factory data reset now and accept that photos and notes are lost.
Lesson learned: Monthly backup day will be introduced to backup all family devices most important app data and photos.

Tried to search a bit about adb options but no chance to get devices listed accept of selecting sideload option but no chance to get access to file system. (at least not with my limited knowledge.
Thanks again for your replies.
I believe this discussion can be closed.

fid02

meemaw Child sure that password (duress) was not used anymore as it was cumbersome.

When you set up the duress password feature, you have to set up a duress PIN as well. It's possible that the duress PIN was entered.

Blastoidea

Just out of vulgar curiosity, how old is this “child”?

meemaw

Blastoidea
younger Teenager

Blastoidea

meemaw
Thank you.