senbros said:

Hi
"Can't find valid operating system. The device will not start."
Then shows the visit g.co/ABH link.
I am not even able to boot into recovery. When selecting recovery from fastboot mode it just goes right to the same "Can't find valid operating system..." screen.
Device State: Locked

Sorry, but with no working recovery and a locked bootloader you are dead in the water. There is nothing that can be done.

mammothjojo88 said:

Are you able to unlock your bootloader? Might be able to download the factory image do it that way. Fastboot flashing unlock it something. Then run the flash all.bat from the factory image once you download it and unzipped it.

senbros said:

Hi
"Can't find valid operating system. The device will not start."
Then shows the visit g.co/ABH link.

I am not even able to boot into recovery. When selecting recovery from fastboot mode it just goes right to the same "Can't find valid operating system..." screen.

Device State: Locked
Developer Mode : Not Enabled and not possible to do now


PLease help me. As i am from Nepal , there is nothing i can't claim for warranty.

Click to expand...

slysurfer said:

Hi Mate,
I had the same thing happen Last Friday morning. I was just applying an OTA update, then when phone rebooted I got the same message on my Pixel 3 ( 2 weeks old ). I spent many hours over the weekend trying to figure out how to get a factory image on it. However without unlocking the bootloader ( which is not possible ), also having the recovery also corrupted, there is nothing we can do, except send it to a friend or someone we know and trust to get the phone repaired or if its under warranty still, possibly replaced by google. Sorry to be the giver of bad news. These are now expensive paper weights. It seems it becoming more common.

tailorhardik94 said:

Hi,

i am having same issue with my pixel 3 last week, so i called Indian google service center ( 1800-419-0655 ) they pick up my phone from my place and resolve the issue.

so i will suggest you to visit/call google support team so they will resolve you issue.

---------- Post added at 06:03 AM ---------- Previous post was at 05:59 AM ----------


hi there,

i had same issue last week, so i called google support. they pick up my pixel from my place and resolve the issue.

so please do the same contact google support. they will help you.

Click to expand...

bradwatson said:

Not sure if anyone still needs help with this, but I just ran into this issue on my Pixel 4 XL and I held down the volume down button and power button to reboot into fastboot. From there you can connect to a PC and flash images or unlock/lock bootloader, etc.

From there I was able to use the flash.android.com site and flash the latest OTA to my phone and now I'm back up and running.

Hope this helps someone down the road.

kartikb said:

You can't do anything if you come across this problem whilst your bootloader is locked. I had a Pixel 3, applied ota via recovery and I got that error message. Couldn't do anything, flash factory image etc due to locked bootloader and recovery being corrupted.

Quite simply if it's under warranty, contact google.

Not entirely true. If OEM unlocking was previously enabled, then despite your phone being locked, it will still accept the unlocking command. Just happened to me. I am trading in my phone. I uninstalled Magisk, booted to bootloader, locked the bootloader and got the dreaded "Can't find valid operating system" alert. I thought it was toast since no response to adb at that point. The screen looked like the bootloader screen but with less text. Finally used vol down/pwr to get to bootloader, re-unlocked and re-flashed the OS. Back in business, at least getting my full trade-in price!

yearn2burn said:

Not entirely true. If OEM unlocking was previously enabled, then despite your phone being locked, it will still accept the unlocking command. Just happened to me. I am trading in my phone. I uninstalled Magisk, booted to bootloader, locked the bootloader and got the dreaded "Can't find valid operating system" alert. I thought it was toast since no response to adb at that point. The screen looked like the bootloader screen but with less text. Finally used vol down/pwr to get to bootloader, re-unlocked and re-flashed the OS. Back in business, at least getting my full trade-in price!

Just happened to my Pixel 4a5G trade-in for Pixel 7. Completely uninstalled magisk and then tried to re-lock the bootloader. Bootloader locked and got the no operating system error. Called google and they said send it in as and I will get full amount. The dude did not sound very reassuring. I luckyly stumbled on this thread. tried to unlock the bootloader but it failed. I reset my computer and tried it again and it worked. Phone booted up. I took and OTA and tried to re-lock the bootloader and SUCCESS. This phone never had an OTA so I believe the one slot was empty, maybe that is why this happened. Moral to the story, make sure both slots has an OS on them.
Thanks
BB

bradwatson said:

Not sure if anyone still needs help with this, but I just ran into this issue on my Pixel 4 XL and I held down the volume down button and power button to reboot into fastboot. From there you can connect to a PC and flash images or unlock/lock bootloader, etc.

From there I was able to use the flash.android.com site and flash the latest OTA to my phone and now I'm back up and running.

Hope this helps someone down the road.

Thanks! This was exactly what I needed. I didn't realize you could get into fastboot with hardware controls and I was trying through adb

bradwatson said:

Not sure if anyone still needs help with this, but I just ran into this issue on my Pixel 4 XL and I held down the volume down button and power button to reboot into fastboot. From there you can connect to a PC and flash images or unlock/lock bootloader, etc.

From there I was able to use the flash.android.com site and flash the latest OTA to my phone and now I'm back up and running.

Hope this helps someone down the road.

Just wanted to say thanks - had a panic moment until I read this and realized I could do that. Pixel 4 wiped and ready to go back. Thanks again, years later.