Updates cannot install - stuck at specific version

reactive_unsmooth988

Hey,

I haven't updated my Graphene for a long time (₂ months). Since a few days, I'm trying to but after clicking on "Reboot" (of the "Update successfully installed" notification), it reboots, then it installs the system update, but then it re-prompt me to reboot to install the update. I've been updating/rebooting multiple times, for the last few days, but I guess that my phone is "stuck" on the same update since my build number doesn't bump: it's stuck at 2025120400.

I tried multiple solution of similar (but not quite exactly the same) issues, such as making sure that the battery is fully charged, shutting down and powering on manually instead of rebooting. But none of the suggestions helped.

I asked on the matrix channel, and was suggested to sideload the latest version. But it didn't fix unfortunately: I'm still stuck at 2025120400, even though the sideloading went successfully.

I wanted to try to sideload with the very next ota update (2025121000), but I wasn't able to grab it: from the grapheneos.org/releases page, seems like only the latest stable update is available to download.

One last important (I think) detail: I've noticed that on every boot, my phone will "loop" on the booting screens FOUR times every time ("warning loading different os" screen -> google screen -> grapheneos screen -> "warning loading different os" screen -> google screen -> ...etc). I'd guess that my phone is trying to so something but doesn't succeed? I tried to look at the system logs, but unfortunately those starts after the phone is fully booted. Maybe there are other logs that I can find somewhere? I don't know...

Would anyone have any suggestion ? I guess that I could re-flash the rom and start from scratch, but maybe there is an easier way ?

Novalissoide

reactive_unsmooth988 Do you have sufficient storage space?

reactive_unsmooth988

I currently have 4 GB free. Is it enough or should I make up more space ?

Novalissoide

reactive_unsmooth988 Free up a third of your stuff and reboot. It would be the safest to not push the storage as much, the P6 is getting old, and you might have a hardware failure waiting to happen, if not already the case. Make good backups while it is still functional.

reactive_unsmooth988

Novalissoide I freed some space to have ₃₂% of free space. I tried to install/reboot through the system update notification, but nothing changed: I'm still at the 2025120400 version. Then I tried to install through the sideloading the latest version (2026020600), and even though the sideloading succeeded (Install from ADB completed with status 0), my phone rebooted and is now stuck on the Grapheneos screen. Would you have any advice following this ? Maybe should I force shutdown by holding the power button so that it's not stuck at this screen anymore ?

Novalissoide

reactive_unsmooth988 force shutdown

Yes, and try getting into Safe Mode:
https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/2852139?hl=en#zippy=%2Cif-your-phone-is-off

Remove physical SIM if got any.

Novalissoide

reactive_unsmooth988 freed some space to have 32% of free space

That's good, but if you get the OS up again, make backups of the rest.

reactive_unsmooth988

Novalissoide Yes, and try getting into Safe Mode:
https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/2852139?hl=en#zippy=%2Cif-your-phone-is-off

I'm not able to go into safe mode.

Since I'm stuck on this "grapheneos" animation screen, I tried all combination to power it off: hold power a long time, hold both power+volume down and hold both power+volume up. The latter was the only one forcing a reboot. Then, on boot, I tried to enter in safe mode (by holding the volume down), but it keeps going back to the grapheneos animation screen. I forced reboot once again and this time hold both power and volume up to go into recovery mode. From there I was able to shutdown my phone. And then I tried again to power it while holding the volume up, to go into safe mode. However, once again, it booted and got stuck at the grapheneos animation screen.

Do you have any advice from there ?

Novalissoide

reactive_unsmooth988 force another shutdown, at first bootscreen press pause button top right and let the battery charge a couple of hours.

reactive_unsmooth988

Novalissoide Ok, but I'm not sure that battery was the issue: I was at ₈₅% before doing that. But anyway, I'll let it charge a few hours.
And then, what should I do ?

Novalissoide

reactive_unsmooth988 keep trying. Use just a charger, not connection to pc. No sim.

Is the device data backed up?

reactive_unsmooth988

Novalissoide reactive_unsmooth988 keep trying. Use just a charger, not connection to pc. No sim.

Ok I'll let it charge a few hours on a separated charger, not connected to a PC.
I don't have a physical sim, I'm using an e-sim.

Novalissoide Is the device data backed up?

Kind of. I did a stock setting backup a few days before. But I wasn't able to backup all the app data that I wanted, like some encrypted messaging app.

Novalissoide

reactive_unsmooth988 Kind of. I did a stock setting backup a few days before.

Better than most in this situation. If nothing works, could you do a full reset?

Novalissoide

reactive_unsmooth988 I'll let it charge a few hours

Important, this is in 'pause' right? Not at stuck logo?

reactive_unsmooth988

Novalissoide Better than most in this situation. If nothing works, could you do a full reset?

I guess I won't have any other choice. I imagine that I would have to do that from the recovery mode, right ?

Novalissoide Important, this is in 'pause' right? Not at stuck logo?

Yes, the screen is at the "Your device is loading a different operating system" currently.

Novalissoide

reactive_unsmooth988 from the recovery mode, right ?

I actually haven't done this myself yet, but I'll look into it.

Update:
This:
https://discuss.grapheneos.org/d/9538-how-to-factory-reset-from-recovery-mode