device requires partition vendor_kernel_boot which is not known to this version of fastboot

To address the error you encountered with Fastboot, you’ll need to download the latest version of the Fastboot tool. Here’s how you can do it and set the path for Windows, macOS, and Linux:

SDK Platform Tools release notes | Android Studio | Android Developers

Downloading Fastboot:

Go to the URL provided and download the latest version of the platform tools. Once downloaded, extract the contents to a folder on your computer.

Setting the Path:

Windows:

1. Open Command Prompt:
   Press Win + R, type cmd, and hit Enter.
2. Navigate to Environment Variables:
   Type sysdm.cpl and hit Enter.
   Go to the “Advanced” tab and click on “Environment Variables”.
3. Edit System Variables:
   Find the “Path” variable in the “System variables” section and click “Edit”.
4. Add Fastboot Path:
   Click “New” and add the path to the folder where you extracted Fastboot. For example, if you extracted Fastboot to C:\platform-tools, add C:\platform-tools to the list.
5. Save and Apply Changes:
   Click “OK” on all windows to save the changes.
6. Verify Installation:
   Open a new Command Prompt window and type fastboot --version to verify that Fastboot is correctly installed and the path is set.

macOS and Linux:

1. Open Terminal:
   For macOS: Press Cmd + Space, type Terminal, and hit Enter.
   For Linux: Press Ctrl + Alt + T to open Terminal.
2. Edit the Shell Profile:
   Depending on your shell (bash, zsh, etc.), open the corresponding shell profile file (.bashrc, .zshrc, etc.) in a text editor. For example, nano ~/.bashrc.
3. Add Fastboot Path:
   Add the following line at the end of the file:
   export PATH=$PATH:/path/to/platform-tools
Replace /path/to/platform-tools with the actual path where you extracted Fastboot. For example, if Fastboot is extracted to ~/platform-tools, use:
   export PATH=$PATH:~/platform-tools
   (Note:- If you already have fastboot install then add like this export PATH=~/platform-tools/:$PATH )
4. Save and Apply Changes:
   Save the file and exit the text editor.
5. Reload the Shell Profile:
   Run source ~/.bashrc (or source ~/.zshrc for zsh users) to apply the changes to the current Terminal session.
6. Verify Installation:
   Type fastboot --version in the Terminal to verify that Fastboot is correctly installed and the path is set.

Re-running Fastboot:

After setting the path, navigate to the directory where your update file (image-panther-uq1a.240205.002.b1.zip) is located and re-run the Fastboot command:

fastboot -w update image-panther-uq1a.240205.002.b1.zip

This should resolve the error you encountered.

important links:-

Factory Images for Nexus and Pixel Devices | Google Play services | Google for Developers

SDK Platform Tools release notes | Android Studio | Android Developers

How to install Android 14 on Google Pixel and other Android devices

In this blog post, we addressed a common error encountered while using Fastboot to update Android devices. The error message “device requires partition vendor_kernel_boot which is not known to this version of fastboot” indicates a mismatch between the version of Fastboot and the partition required by the device.

To resolve this issue, we walked through the steps to download the latest version of Fastboot from the official Android developer website. Additionally, we provided detailed instructions on how to set the Fastboot path on Windows, macOS, and Linux systems, ensuring that the updated Fastboot version is accessible from the command line.

By following these steps, users can successfully update their Android devices using Fastboot without encountering the aforementioned error. Keeping Fastboot up-to-date ensures compatibility with the latest device requirements and enhances the overall user experience when performing device updates and maintenance tasks.