Pixel 6a - Please help with windows driver and device recognition

Krovian

Dear All, i just got my new pixel 6a and following the web install.

I have the fastboot screen unlocked and working (updated the software, then did factory reset)

The phone is recognized by my windows 10 laptop when on the main screen, but when going into fastboot mode the pc does not find the device.

I downloaded the driver here : https://developer.android.com/studio/run/win-usb

But when trying to apply this driver, windows says that 'the best driver is already installed' uninstalling the device does not help as it auto installs 'MTP USB DEVICE' driver

Any thought on how to force the driver on windows and why the device isnt recoignized in fastboot mode?

help appreciated!

pdagenius

Krovian Windows and android are tricksy in my experience. If I remember correctly, you will need to uninstall the existing android drivers and then install them again before you connect the Pixel.

mythodical

Krovian windows says that 'the best driver is already installed'

When trying to install the driver, are you manually selecting the extracted driver location during the driver update, or are you letting Windows find the best driver itself? I can't recall the exact wording as I'm on Linux. You typically want to select the driver location yourself to avoid the kind of message you're getting (Windows tries to know best but often gets it wrong).

Krovian

Thanks for the suggestion - tried that but windows defaults to its own driver again, even though i clicked the android_winusb file before inserting the phone and it seemed to install....

I just checked adb and its fine, but seems fastboot is not working on my pc.. trying to figure out how now..

wow this is not easy!

Yann

You need to be into the bootloader interface to install the Windows driver. From the Web installer:
https://grapheneos.org/install/web#booting-into-the-bootloader-interface then connecting the phone

Krovian

Yann Hi Yann, I am in the bootloader interface, and then connect the phone again to the PC but windows doesnt see it! The website also gives 'no compatible devices found'

mythodical I went to device management and can only see the phone when its not in bootloader/fastboot mode. I can then manually click update driver and select the folder where the driver is in. Unfortunately when i do it this way windows gives me a screen that again says the best driver is already installed.. :( I also tried just double clicking the inf file and do install, but didnt seem to work..