README: modem-preserving install via fastboot boot (RAM) + dd

Proven 2026-08-09: RAM-booting writes nothing (modemst byte-identical
after), so a fresh install that dd's boot_a and userdata from the booted
Linux never triggers the ABL's boot-flash NV wipe. Classic flash flow
documented as the wiping alternative. Details in journal/modem.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
This commit is contained in:
Jorijn van der Graaf 2026-08-09 01:25:20 +02:00
commit 0763481e9b

View file

@ -26,9 +26,27 @@ carriers are very welcome.
## Flashing ## Flashing
Download `boot.img` and `fairphone-fp6.img` from the latest release, unlock Download `boot.img` and `fairphone-fp6.img` from the latest release and unlock
the bootloader ([Fairphone's official process](https://support.fairphone.com/hc/en-us/articles/10492476238737)), the bootloader ([Fairphone's official process](https://support.fairphone.com/hc/en-us/articles/10492476238737)).
then:
**Recommended — modem-preserving install** (`fastboot boot` streams the
kernel to RAM without writing; all writes then happen from Linux, which the
bootloader's boot-flash NV-wipe never sees — see the warning below):
```sh
fastboot boot boot.img
# wait ~60s; the phone comes up on the USB network as 172.16.42.1
# (fresh devices land in the initramfs debug shell; telnet 172.16.42.1)
# then write both images through Linux, e.g. over the USB network:
ssh user@172.16.42.1 # or the debug shell on virgin devices
# on the phone: fetch/receive the images and
# dd of=/dev/disk/by-partlabel/boot_a for boot.img
# dd of=/dev/disk/by-partlabel/userdata for fairphone-fp6.img
fastboot erase dtbo # one-time, on the next fastboot visit (safe: verified)
```
**Classic install** (simpler, but `fastboot flash boot` **zeroes the modem's
NV** — cellular will be dead until you restore your `modemst` backup):
```sh ```sh
fastboot flash userdata fairphone-fp6.img fastboot flash userdata fairphone-fp6.img