Hi guys,

I have installed GrapheneOS on a Pixel 6A device successful, but now I need to patch the boot loader (Magisk) for research purposes, but this fails, as the device does not show as a fastboot device.
Steps followed:

  1. Installed latest adb/fastboot via brew (I am on MacOS 13.5). fastboot version: 34.0.4-10411341
  2. Installed GrapheneOS using web installer
  3. Updated GrapheneOS via OTA (bluejay-factory-2023080800).
  4. Ensured USB Debugging is enabled and boot loader unlocked.
  5. Run adb devices -> device is shown with its serial number and commands are working.
  6. Run adb reboot bootloader
  7. device goes into "fastboot" mode, as visible on its screen.
  8. Run fastboot devices gives no result
  9. Run adb devices gives no result (empty list).
  10. lsusb in this state shows:
    Bus 000 Device 001: ID 18d1:4ee0 Google Inc. Pixel 6a Serial: 33311JEGR09924
    Bus 000 Device 000: ID 18d1:4ee0 Google Inc. USB 3.1 Bus

I have also tried manually putting device into fastboot mode using the combination of volume up key & the power button, but the device is still not shown.

Also tried the exact same thing on exactly the same Mac + USB Cable with another Pixel 6a device running stock android and there the device is detected even in fastboot mode. Which suggests that it may be because of GrapheneOS itself.

Please anyone any help is appreciated, kind of stuck in a desperate situation as I need a rooted device for my thesis. Thanks in advance.

  • [deleted]

You probably won't get any help regarding rooting on this forum.

    [deleted] I don't need help with rooting but that fastboot does not work at all.

    For anyone interested I solved it by using my other Mac where it worked for some reason.