The Volla X23 seems to be identical to the Gigaset GX4, Like the Volla22 is a Gigaset GS5. However, I’m not in possesion of one yet, so I can’t confirm it works yet.
Not yet in possession 
Sigh, so Gigaset is going into restructuring. In German: Einbruch beim Geschäft mit DECT-Telefonen: Gigaset stellt Insolvenzantrag | heise online Which is not good news for Volla. Might mean the GX4 goes on firesale, though. Sigh.
That’s absolutely unexpected. Let’s hope they can manage it. Thanks for sharing.
Although it feels a bit like to pick over the bones this indeed could be an opportunity to get a GX4 for an even better price.
But still the question remains if it can be used…I was still not able so far to find out anything at all about if it could be unlocked to have even a chance to try it.
Ok, just found a ‘good as new’ return, supposedly, unlocked, which I would guess to be the case. I’ll give it a try.
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Hi,
encouraged by this thread and the one with the Volla Installation Guide, I tried to install VollaOS on a Gigaset GX4 device. Sadly, this first attempt failed and I would appreciate any help or suggestions for how to resolve the problems.
Steps of tried VollaOS installation on Gigaset GX4 • WARNING: THIS HAS FAILED
- Buy GX4.
- Start the phone (normal boot) and go through initial setup.
- Enable developer options.
- Enable USB debugging, enable OEM unlocking.
- Connect the phone via USB to the computer.
- Authorise the computer for USB debugging. (optional: Disable automatically dropping the authorisation.)
- on computer continue:
adb reboot bootloder # wait until phone is ready fastboot devices # check whether phone is reachable fastboot flashing unlock # The tiny text asks you to press Volume UP key on the phone within 5 seconds. # You may repeat `fastboot flashing unlock`, if you are too slow or want to read the text. - STOP HERE (After the following few steps, the test GX4 was bricked! The notes describe the problem.)
- Run
fastboot reboot fastboot(Based on forum posts, could possibly work out if done before startingubports-installer) - Install ubports-installer (version 0.10.0, see
devices.ubuntu-touch.io/devices) - Start
ubports-installer - Manually select Volla X23 as device (should be identical to Gigaset GX4)
- Select VollaOS as to-be-flashed operating system. (options: Ubuntu Touch, VollaOS)
- Start installation (This downloads the file
volla-12.1-20230911-stable-SPFLASH-vidofnir.zipof 2 GB size and starts flashing it to the phone.) -
notes:
- On the test device, the ubports-installer installation of VollaOS was started before performing
fastboot flashing unlock(due to not seing the 5s timeout but the OKAY printed afterwards → and therefore missing unlock). - After successful
fastoot flashing unlockwith button press on the phone, the ubports-installer continued further. - Now, it failed with the appended error message with ‘partition does not exist’. Here, I did not exit the
ubports-installerbefore runningfastboot reboot fastboot- this could maybe be the cause of the bricking. - Since running
fastboot reboot fastboot([non-reliable source for this decision](https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/fastboot-flash-system-partition-not-found.3992977/#post-81245141)), the device shows the “volla” logo (identical to the Volla X23 when booting) instead of the Gigaset logo. The problem now is this: The device reboots every 30 seconds (cycle: 10 seconds screen turned off (black screen, no backlight), then 20 seconds volla logo (with backlight)). It is neither reachable via adb nor via fastboot (tested withwatch -n 0.5 fastboot devicesandwatch -n 0.5 adb deviceswhile letting the GX4 do its power cycle for some time).
- On the test device, the ubports-installer installation of VollaOS was started before performing
Probably relevant part of error messages:
error: Error: fastboot:flash: Error: Flashing failed: {"error":{"code":1},"stderr":"FAILED (remote: 'partition does not exist')fastboot: error: Command failed"}
stack trace: Error: Flashing failed: {"error":{"code":1},"stderr":"FAILED (remote: 'partition does not exist')fastboot: error: Command failed"}
at /snap/ubports-installer/462/app/resources/app.asar.unpacked/node_modules/promise-android-tools/lib/module.cjs:1121:15
at /snap/ubports-installer/462/app/resources/app.asar.unpacked/node_modules/promise-android-tools/node_modules/cancelable-promise/dist/CancelablePromise.js:27:18
at process.processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:95:5)
full ubports-installer log:
$ ubports-installer
Gtk-Message: 17:06:09.358: Failed to load module "xapp-gtk3-module"
Gtk-Message: 17:06:09.359: Failed to load module "xapp-gtk3-module"
Gtk-Message: 17:06:09.377: Not loading module "atk-bridge": The functionality is provided by GTK natively. Please try to not load it.
info: Welcome to the UBports Installer version 0.10.0!
[322130:1004/170611.150888:ERROR:object_proxy.cc(622)] Failed to call method: org.freedesktop.DBus.StartServiceByName: object_path= /org/freedesktop/DBus: org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.NoReply: Did not receive a reply. Possible causes include: the remote application did not send a reply, the message bus security policy blocked the reply, the reply timeout expired, or the network connection was broken.
info: device selected: vidofnir
info: Installing Volla OS on your Volla Phone X23 (vidofnir)
info: Downloading 1 files
info: Downloaded file 1 of 1
error: Error: fastboot:flash: Error: Flashing failed: {"error":{"code":1},"stderr":"FAILED (remote: 'No support by lock control')fastboot: error: Command failed"}
stack trace: Error: Flashing failed: {"error":{"code":1},"stderr":"FAILED (remote: 'No support by lock control')fastboot: error: Command failed"}
at /snap/ubports-installer/462/app/resources/app.asar.unpacked/node_modules/promise-android-tools/lib/module.cjs:1121:15
at /snap/ubports-installer/462/app/resources/app.asar.unpacked/node_modules/promise-android-tools/node_modules/cancelable-promise/dist/CancelablePromise.js:27:18
at process.processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:95:5)
warn: restart after error
error: Error: fastboot:flash: Error: Flashing failed: {"error":{"code":1},"stderr":"FAILED (remote: 'No support by lock control')fastboot: error: Command failed"}
stack trace: Error: Flashing failed: {"error":{"code":1},"stderr":"FAILED (remote: 'No support by lock control')fastboot: error: Command failed"}
at /snap/ubports-installer/462/app/resources/app.asar.unpacked/node_modules/promise-android-tools/lib/module.cjs:1121:15
at /snap/ubports-installer/462/app/resources/app.asar.unpacked/node_modules/promise-android-tools/node_modules/cancelable-promise/dist/CancelablePromise.js:27:18
at process.processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:95:5)
# note: Here, `fastboot flashing unlock` was run with Volume UP button press as confirmation.
warn: restart after error
error: Error: fastboot:flash: Error: Flashing failed: {"error":{"code":1},"stderr":"FAILED (remote: 'partition does not exist')fastboot: error: Command failed"}
stack trace: Error: Flashing failed: {"error":{"code":1},"stderr":"FAILED (remote: 'partition does not exist')fastboot: error: Command failed"}
at /snap/ubports-installer/462/app/resources/app.asar.unpacked/node_modules/promise-android-tools/lib/module.cjs:1121:15
at /snap/ubports-installer/462/app/resources/app.asar.unpacked/node_modules/promise-android-tools/node_modules/cancelable-promise/dist/CancelablePromise.js:27:18
at process.processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:95:5)
# note: Here, `fastboot reboot fastboot` was run. Then, after some time without luck accessing the device, the ubports-installer was stopped.
info: Good bye!
(note: Directly before last warn: restart after error, the fastboot reboot fastboot command was run in another terminal window.)
Device information (written down before OEM unlock):
Android Recovery
Gigaset/GX4_EEA/GX4
12/SP1A.210812.016/1691412268
user/release-keys
Android Fastboot
Product name - GX4
Bootloader version - unknown
Baseband version -
Serial number - <hidden in this forum post>
Secure boot - yes
HW version - 0
1 Like
In the next days, I am going to try SP Flash Tool for trying to de-brick the device.
source 1, source 2
VollaOS flash.xml:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<flash-mode>
<project>k6789v1_64</project>
<dagent>DA_BR.bin</dagent>
<scatter>../MT6789_Android_scatter.xml</scatter>
<build_version>alps-mp-s0.mp1.rc-V12.11.1_koobee.s0mp1rc.k61v1.64.bsp_P22</build_version>
<build_time>2022-11-22 00:51:48</build_time>
<version>1.0</version>
<contact>Shuai.Zhang</contact>
</flash-mode>
My questions for you now are:
Should I try this flashing with the VollaOS ROM, or does anyone have a link to the Android stock ROM for the GX4 device?
I would like to hear your opinions before trying the next step, since this could - if the posts are correct - finally destroy the device if I do it wrong.
1 Like
I’m really not the expert here, but for me it sounds as if the GX4 does have a different partitioning than the X23, so MAYBE using it’s ROM may even fix the installation issue.
However, I have no idea at all if it can be applied/used and if it is working if so.
Just trying out seems quite risky to me. Maybe you should ask this question as well in the Volla forum.
Anyway, I would give more bets on the original ROM. I think the SP Flashing Tool was build for original ROMs. It might work with the Volla ROM. But I would wait for qualified answers. (Mine isn’t one)
Until now, I did not find the original ROM on the internet, but a support request is sent to Gigaset.
Do you think for each image in the Volla X23 ROM zip file a new partition is going to get created?
Or do you mean by flashing the original Gigaset GX4 ROM the issues are going to get solved?
If I’m not entirely mistaken to apply the ROM should create the corresponding partitions, but I can only agree with Fellfrosch here as it’s way to long ago I really messed with that:
But I would wait for qualified answers. (Mine isn’t one)
I have a bricked device I’ll try it with. I bricked by accidently disconnecting while the SFOS image was flashing. That is, I already had VollaOS running on the phone. Assuming you mean the files from ~/.cache/ubports/vidofnir/firmware/unpacked/ ? There is no reason that shouldn’t work.
1 Like
Hmm, I should qualify that I believe I had it running. But now that I think of it, that was a very overly complicated day 
Still, I’ll give it a go before I send the device to a repair service
Thanks, I hope you have luck with de-bricking the device!
Since the missing-partition error interrupted my flashing progress, it could be a similar problem with both bricked devices.
Maybe a problem of GX4 vs. GX4 Pro? I think I read somewhere that @piggz works with a GX4 Pro and that Volla X23 is a GX4 Pro.
I think GX4 Pro has 128GB while GX4 has only 64GB. Maybe that makes a difference for the partition layout? So if you try to install Volla OS on a GX4 (without “Pro”) there might be some problem?
If you look at the pricing, I doubt it. The X23 is priced at the same price as the GX4 Pro (circa. 550 Euro). But I’ve not been able to find the Pro version from Gigaset on sale anywhere, so, who knows!
If you are from Germany, you could look at Voelkner, they have one on the market place for 485€ and I saw one directly from Voelkner for 435€ (possibly a customer return, don’t know) some time ago.
According to @piggz message in the Sailfish OS Fan Club on Telegram from September 19th:
EDIT: @Otto.de they offer one for 420€.
But more important:
- Volla X23: 6/128 GB
- GX4 Pro: 6/128 GB
- GX4: 4/64 GB
2 Likes
Hmmm. Neither the latest version of SP or GitHub - bkerler/mtkclient: MTK reverse engineering and flash tool support this ‘newer’ scatter file format. There is an issue in the bkerler repo which alludes to the the in progress nature of the issue: MT6789 da2 patching results in TypeError · Issue #758 · bkerler/mtkclient · GitHub
And EDIT, I don’t have the correct auh file since those don’t get circulated. Hmmm. Ah, mit SP v6 würde es gehen hätte man den richtigen auth file. den habe ich leider nicht.