Sideloading IodeOS update appears to NOT WORK

[Igor_Shotsky]

I am about ready to throw this phone in a creek.

I decided to try to sideload the very latest update of Iode OS from the Github repository and followed the steps below only to find:

1. The version number in the Update app is still stuck showing the 6.9 Beta release install.
2. The version that was on my phone (6.9-20251102-brax3) remained even though I downloaded and local installed the 6.9-20251105-brax3 version.

I was trying to make a tutorial on how to do this, so the below reflects that idea, but it did not work, so take that into account!

Settings → About Phone → Scroll down look for “idoeOS Version”
Write down exact version; “6.9-20251102-brax3” as an example
The name breaks down into version (6.9), Release date in European format (YR-Month-day) 2025-11-02, or November 2, 2025, Phone type “Brax3”.
Go to this website: brax3 · master · ota / release · GitLab
Look for the latest release; I see "iode-6.9-20251105-brax3 in the last 6 places.
You want to download the ZIP file (to your computer) with LFS next to it;
Example: iode-6.9-20251105-brax3-ota.zip
You do NOT have to unzip the file to install it!
Connect the Brax3 to the computer via USB
The Brax3 should appear connected to your computer in your file manager, HOWEVER, You might have to go into the Phone and look under settings search for “USB”. When the USB dialog comes up, select the File Transfer radio button and you will be prompted for the PIN number to unlock your phone and allow the files to be seen.
My computer pops up an error message about being unable to open a folder for Brax3, but you can dismiss this without a problem. (I am on Linux; your computer may not do this)
Copy the ZIP file to your Brax3 download folder.
Dismount/unconnect the phone from the computer.
On the Brax 3, go to the Installer app.
Click on the 3 dot menu in the upper right and choose “local update”
If needed, navigate to the download folder.
Click on the Zip file and the local update will start to import.
Once finished, it will ask you if you want to install it; click install.
The Installation process will start.
Be sure to plug in the phone to the charger to make sure you have enough power to do the install without draining the battery.
It will install the update and ask you to reboot; click on reboot.
The phone will reboot; it may take a bit, be patient.
When done, go ahead and enter your PIN # to enter the phone.
Go to Settings → System → Reset Options and click on “Reset Mobile Network Options”. Confirm you want to reset and do it.
Choose settings → About Phone and scroll down to confirm the idoeOS Version number has updated.

IT DID NOT CHANGE.

@plamen What did I do wrong?

[plamen]

I just clarified this with the iode dev.
The 6.9-20251102-brax3 is the same as 6.9-20251105-brax3.
The version, when installed will show as 6.9-20251102-brax3. The file name 6.9-20251105-brax3 is because they generated the production OTA build for that version on the 5th of October, 3 days after the beta. So what you did was you sideloaded the same version you were running.

I got confused the same way you did FWIW. I will discuss with iode devs how we can remove the confusion for future versions. In OS projects I’ve product managed, we’ve always used a third number (e.g. 6.9.1-xxxxxxxx) to differentiate different hot fixes.

[Igor_Shotsky]

Ah, Thank you! I was losing my mind, trying to figure out why it would not “update”!

I am very sure this will be low in priority to developers, but when the Installer App does not update in it’s display to the current version actually running on the phone, it caused me massive confusion. Once I figured out that the current version installed was correctly listed under the “About Phone” in the Settings menu, it helped dispel some confusion.

Thanks for clarifying the issue!