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There have recently been reports surfacing online of Pixel 6 owners stating that their device has suddenly become bricked after performing a factory reset, prompting an error message stating that the Android system could not be loaded and that the data on the smartphone might be corrupt.
However, this isn’t a unique issue that only occurs with the standard model. Several Reddit posts show that Pixel6a and the Pixel 6 Pro are also affected, while older and newer Pixel lines seem to work fine.
The error message recommends performing another reset to erase all user data. But according to YouTuber from Techwho experienced this problem on their device, resetting it a second time does not work. The phone remains unusable.
OF Tech finally shared its experience on the Pixel Phone Help Pageclaiming that he tried other solutions but none of them worked. He tried using Google’s own Android Flash Tool which failed as his Pixel 6 is OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) locked.
Missing files
It’s unknown what’s behind the bricking issue, though there are some clues. OF Tech shared close-up photos of his phone’s screen, and the bug says that a file called “tune2fs is missing.” tune2fs is a Linux command line tool that allows administrators to set file system parameters. Others have reported same file is missingat.
What is causing tune2f2 to disappear is a mystery in itself, but many agree that it could be related to an Android 15 beta. Which version is to blame here is a matter of debate, however. Some people point to the second beta, while others point to the third and stable version. Or, as 9to5Google points out that it may not be an Android issue at all, as many reports do not mention the operating system.
It goes without saying that there is enormous chaos as people try to get to the heart of the matter.
How to avoid the brickwork
Thankfully, Google is fully aware of the situation and is currently working on a fix. It may take some time for the patch to roll out, as the company has not given a release date. So to help Pixel 6 owners, Recommendations published by Google about what users can do to prevent their smartphone from becoming unusable.
They recommend “leaving your device powered on and idle for 15 minutes after it restarts following” an update. You can factory reset your Pixel 6 without any hassle once the time is up. Conversely, you can also reset the device before installing a patch. For those whose phones are already bricked, you’ll have to wait for the fix, whenever it arrives.
We reached out to Google for more information on when users can expect the patch. Unfortunately, they didn’t say much, pointing to the same recommendation page on their Pixel Phone Help website.
Be sure to check out TechRadar’s list of the best Pixel phones for 2024.
