In this post, I’ll try to track my long story with the OnePlus OTA (Over-The-Air) software update problems.
I kept a long history of issues and workarounds since I bought this phone (5T), but I’m starting over with what I’m doing from today.
The post is a draft not well organized, I’ll create chapters when I’m 100% sure about what I’m talking about.
If you are facing similar issues feel free to leave a comment or ask your questions.
Do the below steps at your own risk.
27.04.2019 – Try to install OTA 9.0.4 by OTA and by ADB
Months ago, I received the 9.0.4 update by OTA, but I couldn’t install it, each time I tried my phone was broken and I had to flash it using unbrick tools and incremental updates till 9.0.3.
That said, OTA menu kept asking me to install the 9.0.4, so today I decided to give it a try.
Method 1: Using Android update menu (Result: KO)
Go to the Options / System / System updates, then download the update and push the button to install it.
This failed, but fortunately the phone was able to reboot and not stay frozen like my previous experiences.
What’s funny here, is that the phone showed the fail result, and asked to re-download the same update again.
After downloading it, it showed me an error while verifying the signature, how is this possible with an official OTA?
After trying many time, the signature was verified, but the installation failed as before, OTA 9.0.3 isn’t working for me.
Method 2: Using ADB sideload and OTA .zip (Result: KO)
Go to the Options / System / Developer options, and enable USB debugging.
You need to download ADB tool, for example here: https://www.xda-developers.com/install-adb-windows-macos-linux/
Information: When your phone download an OTA update, it stores its .zip in a hidden folder in the root called .Ota, I copied the file from my phone to my PC in the ADB folder.
Connect your phone, then open a command line.
Go to the path of ADB, for example:
cd C:\platform-tools_r28.0.1-windows\platform-tools
Check that your phone is detected
adb devices
You should see a line with numbers like this:
List of devices attached
45fx9712 device
Then reboot it in recovery mode:
adb reboot recovery
When the phone restarts, select: English, Wipe data and cache, Wipe cache, Yes, done.
This is a step recommended and I personally find that it avoids some installation errors.
Then, select: Install from ADB, Ok.
On the command line, push the zip file in sideload mode:
adb sideload OnePlus5TOxygen_43_OTA_047_all_.......zip
After some time, the installation fails and the phone reboots, this time Andoid doesn’t mention any notification about the installation.
Method 2: Using ADB sideload and OTA .zip (Result: OK)
OnePlus provides the latest update to be downloaded here: https://www.oneplus.com/support/softwareupgrade
Copy it to the root of the phone, then install it using recovery mode.
This methods works, so I’m suspecting that the .zip file pushed by OTA was corrucpted or its signature can’t be verified.
The name of the .zip from OnePlus website is : OnePlus5TOxygen_43_OTA_047_all_1902221932_2b3d5a2593e048fe.zip
The name of thz .zip from OTA server is : OnePlus5TOxygen_43_OTA_047_all_1902221932_d08e3bef8111.zip
Th ID at the end of the names is different, does it mean the OTA files are dedicated to specific phones ?
27.04.2019 – Try to install OTA 9.0.5 by Oxygen Updated App (Result: KO)
Coincidence, today OnePlus is pushing the 9.0.5.
One workaround to get it before the OTA notification, is to use an unofficial app : Oxygen Updater.
Since I’m updating from 9.0.4 to 9.0.5, the app suggests an incremental update, you can see it with the word “patch” in the name of the file that will be downloaded. An incremental zip is smaller than the full one, for 9.0.5 it was ~200Mb.
After downloading the update, the app suggests to install it using the “Local Update” option.
Options / System / System updates / Press the menu on the top right, then select Local Update, then select the zip file.
The phone reboots and starts the installation, this time it fails, and the phone is broken (can do nothing, no recovery, no reset, no boot…)
Here the only way possible is to use unbrick tool to flash it from the last official recovery…
28.04.2019 – Try to unbrick the OnePluse 5T using Unbrick tool
The phone shows nothing, except the blue DEL light. If you connect it to your PC, it will be detected as “QHUSB_BULK” then “Qualcomm-HS USB Diagnostics 900E” if Windows finds the driver automatically, sometimes you will have to install the driver yourself.
OEM has their own tools to flash their chips, for OnePlus it is called MSM Donwload Tool, and it will copy the images (system, recovery,…) from your PC to the phone.
Download the tool, for example here: https://forum.xda-developers.com/oneplus-5t/how-to/oneplus-5t-unbricking-tool-confirmation-t3733012
I recommend to find a tool with recent OxygenOS image, like the 5.1.7, otherwise you will have to update from 5.1.x to 5.1.(x+1) untill you reach the 5.1.7 that is recommended before upgrading to a 9.x.x with Android 9.
After installing it, unzip, and start MsmDownloadTool V4.0.exe as administrator.
Press “Start” button.
Back to the phone, press ON/OFF button & volume + for at least 10s.
The DEL light will turn green, and then MSM will start flahing the phone.
At the end of this process the phone reboots correctly with 5.1.7 version.
Set up the phone, then OTA will push the same update as before : 9.0.4.
The OTA update also didn’t work. The worst is that it broke the phone.
How is this possible that an official update using the official procedure fail likes that and makes the phone unusable ?!
So back to Unbrick tool again…
This time I’ll try to install 9.0.0 before going to 9.0.4 (using ADB sideload and a zip file of 9.0.0 in the PC)
The zip file name is OnePlus5TOxygen_43_OTA_042_all_…zip
Wipe cache then adb sideload Ota….zip
I confirm that going from 5.1.7 to 9.0.x more than 9.0.0 never worked for me in the past.
The upgrade from 5.1.7 to 9.0.0 works correclty.
Sum up of the experience:
- Phone broken while trying to increment from 9.0.4 to 9.0.5 using unofficial app Oxygen Updater
- Unbrick using MSM Download Tool to 5.1.7
- Update from 5.1.7 to 9.0.4 never worked using any method (OTA, sideload, Local upgrade)
- Update from 5.1.7 to 9.0.0 using sideload works correctly from the first try.
Now instead of downloading again 1Gb I’ll just copy the zip file of 9.0.4 in the .Ota folder, and let Android checks its integrity.
The update menu validated the file, the phone rebooted and the installation failed later.
I’ll copy the zip I got from OnePlus website to do the same try.
This time the update menu ignores it and asks to download the update.
I’ll try now to copy zip files in root and install them with the recovery menu.
Nothing worked with this too.
New idea: Install something else then the 9.0.4 that is suggested.
The zip for 9.0.3 OnePlus5TOxygen_43_OTA_046_all_1901182151_e67b153d1f3d4d91. zip was installed correctly.
Is this a mandatory step to update to 9.0.3 before updating to 9.0.4? Then why OnePlus is pushing 9.0.4 by OTA?!
9.0.3 installed, I know download and install the OTA official with the update menu.
The phone is broken again, how is this possible?
OK, so:
- Unbrick the phone to 5.1.7
- Update manually to 9.0.3
- Hope that updating to 9.0.4 will not break the phone like before.
New idea: Try to install 5.1.7 then install increment 9.0.0 9.0.1 9.0.2 9.0.3 9.0.4 in case there is something that is not accepted by full update.
9.0.0: OnePlus5TOxygen_43_OTA_042_all_1812232104_efa031659de.zip
OK
9.0.1: OnePlus5TOxygen_43_OTA_043_all_1812290042_aeba6593cd82c95.zip
OK
9.0.2: OnePlus5TOxygen_43_OTA_045_all_1901072301_6ada5c1.zip
OK
9.0.3: OnePlus5TOxygen_43_OTA_046_all_1901182151_3ac9c.zip
OK
9.0.4: OnePlus5TOxygen_43_OTA_047_all_1902221932_d08e3bef8111.zip
OK
To sum up:
- Unbrick the phone to 5.1.7
- Update gradually from 9.0.0 to 9.0.4
If the phone needs to go trough every version, why OnePlus propose to jump to the latest version with OTA?
How a user without above knowledge can repair his phone, after following incorrect OnePlus instructions?
Is the solution is to not use OTA update menu anymore, and use only downloadable zip files and sideload mode?
Is having a PIN code blocks the updates?
Is wiping cache that is recommended in forums is something that may contribute to update failures?
Last try for today, install the 9.0.5 patch: OnePlus5TOxygen_43_OTA_047-048_patch_1904191530_e75889ee94bc4.zip
PHONE BROKEN AGAIN
So I’ll do the same steps again to be in 9.0.4 and never ever try to use the patch 9.0.5, I’ll wait for full update to do it.
Remark: After using the Unbrick tool, let the phone boot at least until the welcome screen of Android, otherwise the next installation will not work, I guess because the system needs to boot correctly and completely to let a new installation be possible. After you can update the 9.0.x without rebooting the phone, stay in recovery mode and after every installation select Install from ADB and push the next zip file.
End of today: Phone with latest 9.0.4 update.
11.05.2019 – Try to install the 9.0.5
I received this update in the OTA update menu.
I note that the name and the size of zip file is the same as the one I got using the Oxygen Updater app.
This is an incremental update, so it comes as OnePlus…Oxygen…OTA_047-048_patch…zip
As a joe user I install the OTA zip using the OTA menu. Press “REBOOT TO UPGRADE NOW.
Result: KO
As usual being a joe user and do as told doesn’t work, here we go again with a broken phone.
Decision: I’ll NEVER use the OTA menu again.
Back to Unbrick tool and intermediate versions…
End of today: Phone backed up to 9.0.4 update.
My conclusions for my phone so far:
- OnePlus is not a serious company when it comes to delivering OTA updates.
- OnePlus updates meant to solve issues create new ones every time.
- Using the OTA menu to install OnePlus updates breaks the phone most of the time.
- Installing the latest version from OnePlus as soon as I receive it is a bad decision.
- A phone broken by OnePlus update has no more recovery, everything is lost.
- A phone broken by OnePlus update needs setup and knowledge to repair it.
- An update for which there is not lot of zip links to download, it is a sign that it is may be not sent widely.
07.08.2019 – Try to install the 9.0.7
I kept for months the same OxygenOS version 9.0.4, since any try to go forward was a mess.
Today I checked OxygenOS updates and saw that it is now at 9.0.7. so I decided to give it a new try.
During those months the phone kept the same static notification asking to install the 9.0.4, but when I went to Update menu, the screen did a refresh and came back with a new update for 9.0.7. I checked also the unofficial app Oxygen Updater and it showed also a patch from 9.0.4 to 9.0.7.
Lesson learnt: Always refresh the Update menu to check for newer update than the one in the notification bar.
I can tell that this patch is specific for my phone because the file name contains …047-050…
047 is the number of the update 9.0.4 for OnePlus5T.
050 is the number of the update 9.0.7 for OnePlus5T.
I can also tell that other users received incremental 9.0.7 from 9.0.4 because the size of my update is 551MB and for them it is different (480MB)
Lesson learnt: OnePlus OTA update calculates the delta between phone version and the new version anc create specific package.
I backup all my phone data using Google Drive.
I Run installation from Update menu. I didn’t clear the cache.
The installation failed.
Reboot OK. An error notification is shown after boot.
I’ll try now with the same zip file and ABD sideload.
The sideload freezes at (~47%), then after some time the updated failed on the phone.
adb: failed to read command: No error
I think there is a timeout after which if there is no progress the update is considered failed.
Now I’ll try again after wiping the cache…
Wipe cache doesn’t solve the problem.
I’ll now try to remove my PIN, I suspected this in the past to be blocking the update.
PIN removal doesn’t solve the problem.
I take this test to calculate the time of installation.
Progres bar seems to be a 1% = 1 second.
A progress of 47% is quite equal 47 seconds.
The complete installation time (47% + time before fail statsus) = 2 minutes 20 seconds.
Final result : I can’t update to 9.0.7 using the patch provided by OnePlus.
At this step, I start suspecting that the problem comes from the patch (delta) calculation done by OnePlus to provide an incremental update to my phone, it is not the first time that a patch from X to X+1 fails; and I don’t really see any other reason since I tested all methods.
07.08.2019 – Try to install the 9.0.8
I don’t know if this is a good coincidence or not, but later today I received a notification from Oxygen Updater app that 9.0.8 is available.
I’ll try now to install the zip with sideload.
File downloaded: OnePlus5TOxygen_43_OTA_051_all_1907311840_214c57.zip
Final result: Installation failed.
This time I suspect that the update, even if it is seen as a full update, is not designed to update phones from all old versions including mine.
09.08.2019 – Try to install the 9.0.7
OTA Update menu suggests to install 9.0.7, downloaded, the installation failed, then the update menu suggests it again…
09.08.2019 – Try to install full update from 9.0.4 to 9.0.7
Links to download full zip images:
9.0.5 : https://otafsg1.h2os.com/patch/amazone2/GLO/OnePlus5TOxygen/OnePlus5TOxygen_43.J.48_GLO_048_1904191530/OnePlus5TOxygen_43_OTA_048_all_1904191530_8e0f92f03c5.zip
9.0.6 : https://otafsg1.h2os.com/patch/amazone2/GLO/OnePlus5Oxygen/OnePlus5Oxygen_23.J.49_GLO_049_1905271752/OnePlus5Oxygen_23_OTA_049_all_1905271752_e688c23178991.zip
9.0.7 : https://otafsg1.h2os.com/patch/amazone2/GLO/OnePlus5TOxygen/OnePlus5TOxygen_43.J.50_GLO_050_1907181455/OnePlus5TOxygen_43_OTA_050_all_1907181455_dfc0ef015738c7c.zip
Installations :
Install ADB 9.0.4 –> 9.0.5: Failed
Installation time: ~02:27
Installation progress: ~47%
Reboot possible: Yes (but long and auto rebooted two times)
Install ADB 9.0.4 –> 9.0.6: Failed
Installation time: ~02:28
Installation progress: ~47%
Reboot possible: Yes (quickly)
Install ADB 9.0.4 –> 9.0.7 : Failed
Installation time: ~02:39
Installation progress: ~47%
Reboot possible: Yes (quickly)
I did a copy/past of the same files and it took between 44 and 46 seconds, then I don’t think that the copy of the zip file that is failing in the three attempts above. That said, I will try to do local update since I copied them in the root directory.
Another remark, my charge was 47%-50% (it was connected to the PC and charging in parallel of download)
Install Local 9.0.4 –> 9.0.5: Failed
Installation time: ~00:34 preparation before reboot + ~00:11 installation progress
Installation progress: Can’t see it
Reboot possible: Yes (quickly)
Install Local 9.0.4 –> 9.0.6 with: Failed
Installation time: ~00:34 preparation before reboot + ~00:11 installation progress
Installation progress: Can’t see it
Reboot possible: Yes (took some time)
Install Local 9.0.4 –> 9.0.7 with: Failed
Installation time: ~00:34 preparation before reboot + ~00:11 installation progress
Installation progress: Can’t see it
Reboot possible: Yes (quickly)
Final result: I can’t do any full update between 9.0.4 and any next version (9.0.5, 9.0.6, 9.0.7)
I’ll check again this myth of wipe cache before installation.
Reboot in recovery mode, select language, Wipe data and cache, Wipe cache, Yes, Done.
Then, Install from internal storage, OnePlus5TOxygen_43_OTA_48_all….zip, Yes.
Result : Fail
Installation time: ~8s, so far the fastest way to get the fail status of installation
Installation progress: Can’t see it
Reboot possible: Yes (quickly)
Wipe cache didn’t change the result.
09.08.2019 – Try to install incremental patch 9.0.4-9.0.5
I can’t find any official URL to download this patch, the zip file I had didn’t work and worse than that it broke the phone all the time.
This try is not possible.
09.08.2019 – Factory reset the phone and then check OTA menu
I don’t see how to go forward so why not doing this random idea.
To note that factory reset takes long long time, people reported +8 hours waiting of it…
After 30min I rebooted the phone in recovery mode, wipe cache, wipe user data and reboot again.
This took few seconds compared to factory reset from UI.
Reboot to Android welcome screen under 1 minute!
Select language.
Accept terms.
Connect to Wifi.
Backup data from Drive by signing in Google.
While the phone is doing the backup, I go to Update menu and check for new update, here I find 9.0.7 with the size of 551MB only, instead of 1.7GB before doing the factory reset, I don’t see why this difference, but maybe it is due to a new delta calculation done by OnePlus server for my refreshed phone…
Update download, reboot to install. Installation failed after 2:55s.
I think that the phone sends update failure to the server, because after rebooting and checking for update, now I have an update of 1.8GB for the same version 9.0.7! A new information to note.
Update download, reboot to install. Installation failed after 00:11s.
My assumption that the phone reports the failure to the server can be confirmed, because the check for newer update takes significant time than usual (about 30s), the update proposed seems to be the same one with 1.8GB, I’ll try it just because I need to confirm if the server prepares different package based on the failure report.
New Update downloaded, reboot to install. Installation failed after 00:50s.
I noticed that the progress bar was more dynamic than any other try before, it goes forward quickly till 1/3.
The phone failed to reboot and is now in BRICK MODE!
09.08.2019 – Try to install full update from 9.0.4 to 9.0.7
How lucky I am, I found a newer version here of unbrick tool to install directly 9.0.7 version (otherwise I have to go from 5.1.3 or 5.1.7 as I did in the past)
Downlaod the tool and unbrick the phone using my PC. Installation OK.
My phone is now at 9.0.7, when I try the update menu it says the system is up to date (even if I know that 9.0.8 was released days ago)
Final result: Phone updated to 9.0.7 thanks to the unbrick tool.
10.08.2019 – Try to install patch from 9.0.7 to 9.0.8
The unofficial app Oxygen Updater gives the possibility to download the patch even if it is not proposed by OTA.
The patch OnePlus5TOxygen_43_OTA_050-051_patch_1907311840_90aba402474.zip (size 421MB.)
Result: Installation of the patch failed.
The phone reboot successfully.
10.08.2019 – Try to install full update 9.0.8
Official link to download 9.0.8 : https://otafsg1.h2os.com/patch/amazone2/GLO/OnePlus5TOxygen/OnePlus5TOxygen_43.J.51_GLO_051_1907311840/OnePlus5TOxygen_43_OTA_051_all_1907311840_214c57.zip
Install ADB 9.0.4 –> 9.0.6: Failed
Installation time: ~02:32
Installation progress: ~47%
Reboot possible: Yes (quickly)
I updated my phone from 9.0.4 to 9.0.7, I can’t go till 9.0.8, I’ll try later when there is more sources.
14.08.2019 – Try to install 9.0.8
I received OTA notification for 9.0.8, it was an incremental patch.
Installation result : Failed, but the phone can reboot.
After the reboot I received a second notification for 9.0.8 full update.
This time the progress bar went till the end, but then black screen and white DEL light.
Installation result: Unknown and the phone didn’t reboot!
Contrary to previous experiences, I can reboot in recovery mode, wipe cache and reboot to system.
This time there is a notification that the phone is successfully updated.
Going to phone properties I can find 9.0.8.
I can’t find a rational reason for this result, except maybe an encryption issue, the phone can’t boot and it needs that the user goes to recovery and enter the password to pass the boot.
Final result: Phone updated to 9.0.8 using full update from OTA menu.
Let’s try this Zen Mode!
22.10.2019 – Try to install 9.0.9
I received the notification for incremental update (about 400Mb), the installation failed and the phone can reboot.
After rebooting the phone received the full update (about 1.8Gb), the installation failed and the phone bricked.
Only the recovery and fastboot are possible, I’m now trying to sideload a full image download from OnePluse support page : https://www.oneplus.com/support/softwareupgrade/details?code=7
An incremental patch has never worked for me, the only thing I learnt is that this fail status is sent to OnePlus server to send back a full update. The full update sent after a patch fail is somehow an on the shelf update served with no deep check, I feel that they only send the newer version to be installed with no verification if it is OK for my phone or not.
I wiped everything, system, cache, and finally user data.
ADB sideload of the official OnePlus5TOxygen_43_OTA_052_all_1910081959_d9b7d35ef2554e65.zip from OnePlus website failed.
ADB sideload another OnePlus5TOxygen_43_OTA_052_all_1910081959_2a736c0b067a752.zip found on XDA https://forum.xda-developers.com/oneplus-5t/how-to/oneplus-5t-mirrors-official-oxygen-os-t3708099 failed too.
Back to MSM tool to unbrick the phone to 9.0.7; Done; The OTA suggests an incremental patch update to 9.0.9.
Here is an important detail: Since my phone was in 9.0.8 an all my daily backups are done in this version, Android will not let me recover those backups if I stay in 9.0.7, so I have no choice but to go to at least 9.0.8, by doing a manual update if needed.
The incremental update failed as usual. Nothing new.
Sideload of the full update zip already download fail but this time the phone can reboot.
Local install of the full update zip already download fail and the phone can reboot.
Install the zip from recovery menu fail and the phone can reboot.
After all those tests, I think that 9.0.9 is not for today, I’ll try to get back to 9.0.8 to retriev my phone and backups.
Final result : 9.0.9 can’t be installed by any official or manual mean.
The installation of full update 9.0.8 doesn’t work, the same that worked last time…
OTA 9.0.9 by Wifi doesn’t work.
A new try I can do is a patch from 9.0.7 to 9.0.9 found here: https://forum.xda-developers.com/oneplus-5t/how-to/oneplus-5t-mirrors-official-oxygen-os-t3708099 : Installation failed.
I kept trying to install the 9.0.8 .zip untill it worked, suspecting that a reboot or wipe cache solved it but not sure. What I noted is the quick installation process under 1 minute to install a full update.
I noted also a hidden folder named .OTA_Backup with a file __OnePlus_Update.zip, sometimes it appears in the root and some times no, maybe it is related to the issues I’m facing, to be checked later.
Final result : Phone backed up to 9.0.8 and let it restore all my data, no solution to go to 9.0.9
Having the same exact issues. Oneplus is no help whatsoever. Never had these update issues with any phone I have owned, Samsung, ZTE, Huawei and LG. I am going to try to VPN to Canada and see if the international version works? I just saw the trade-in program for the Oneplus 7 Pro but only $200 for 5T when I paid over $400 a year and half ago. And then can you Trust you wont have problems with that phone updating. I think I am just going to get the Pixel 3A. Thank you for this experience, documentary.
I agree with you, even the trade in isn’t a good deal.
Oh wow, I don’t even know how I found this page, but very nice of you to share your issues, workarounds etc. Thank you!
I have 5T and OOS 5.1.2 which I’m planning to upgrade to 9.0.11. So… download 9.0.11, then click “local upgrade” and then select the OTA image in the root directory. And that’s it? Any suggestions? No need to take backups of my data since this is a new phone. (yes, odd, new 5T in 2021…)
Yes you can do that. But keep in mind that if it doesn’t work you may have to start over untill your current version.