Major Issues after "OS Update" on Librem 5

Hardware Librem 5
1

Hello,

I’m new new Librem 5 owner - I’ve been using my new Librem 5 since Saturday (July 8). I’ve been loving it, and apart from three apps (Android) needed for work, the Librem 5 is my daily driver.

However, today I checked for updates as I do daily, and saw there was a “OS Update”, so I updated, and let it do its thing. I was prompted to restart the device, and upon doing so, the device decryption password field came up like normal. After entering that however, then, the phone screen remains blank but slightly lit. There is no way for me to then enter my unlock code. (the phone appears to be powered on as I called my number from a different phone and the number dialled (but the call didn’t come through to the Librem 5 (i.e. the dialler screen didn’t show up, nor did the phone ring)

Steps I’ve followed without success:

  1. I restarted the phone.

  2. I returned all the kill switches off and rebooted.

  3. I removed and reinstalled the battery and rebooted.

  4. All of the above again.

I then contacted Purism, and the support technician suggested:

a. I wait up to 15 minutes (it’s now 90 minutes) in case there is a delay.
b. connect to an external keyboard ( I only have a laptop so can’t do that)
c. reflash.

My laptop doesn’t run PureOS, and looking at the reflash instructions, I see I need to install UUU (Universal Update Utility). However, the disto I run on my laptop does not have UUU in our repo, so I’m not sure I can do a reflash.

I’ve replied to the technician, but due to the time difference between California, and Australia (It’s now 9am Wednesday for me as I type), where I am, I thought it may be best to seek further advice here in the forum since it may already be outside of office hours.

So, can anyone hopefully help with suggestions and advice?

Please help

3 Likes
2

Same problem here.
Never had a major issue. Something wrong with this update?
I took an unusualy long time to install.

3 Likes
3

May be an issue in linux-image-librem5/byzantium-updates 6.3.7pureos3~byz1.
I not going to upgrade Linux till clear what is going on, as i still do not have UART access in Librem 5 to gaming.

2 Likes
4

I’m not sure how fixing the update would potentially resolve the issue without being able to log into the phone. Seems like a catch 22 situation - we need the update fix to load the onscreen keyboard to update again.

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5

You can try a physical keyboard to unlock Luks then to recovery the L5.

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6

So… Now I am stuck with a phone that is thorougly fucked up software-wise, and sports a sim card that is unremoveable. Any suggestions, Purism?

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7

A physical keyboard? How?!

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8

Through usb-c port?

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9

Not something everybody has at hand.

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10

Getting past the encryption is not the problem. That keyboard does popup. After that everything stops.
It should be possible to start in some sort of save mode. I would expect every linux machine to be able do so.

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11
  1. Try scan librem 5 ssh access to get into system.
  2. Let is wait to purism programmer @dos to wake up as in warsaw poland is 2:00am.
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12

Install PureOS on a live USB and use it for low-level tasks.

13

Had not gotten around to setting up ssh on the phone. Installed the software. Didn’t set it up properly.

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14

Config USB SSH next time will help to recovery the L5 easy.
Serial UART may easy fix this issue too.

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15

Careful using the word ‘easy’ so easily.

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16

Did a Kernel update today and my L5 did not reboot or Kernel did not install properly, screen lights up but nothing shows after entering decryption LUKS passphrase :frowning:

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17

Let’s wait for the rest then…

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18

Maybe it timed out somehow for some users, mine was plugged into power though. I know when pushing the power button at the wrong time it doesn’t like it during startup, but my screen was off, LED was off, and it was sitting there for a while so I pushed the power button and it started up, but no OS.

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19

Three people with the exact same symptoms suggest a structural problem.

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20

General question for kernel updates is there a way to show the grub menu on the L5? and get to load the old kernel? or does it remove old kernels after install.

1 Like