Develop Bugs

How can you save your current ROM?

hello is there away to do the title of this thread?
I have a unbranded ROM but it's loaded with my operators Data settings, and I'll be loathed to type them in if I decide to return to the stock ROM, so is there a way to save your current ROM incase it goes wrong, or your flash and decide to go back?
TIA Luke.

Nandroid backup - which you will certainly be doing before flashing anything new. Won't you?
Thinks - you are rooted aren't you?

diablous said:
hello is there away to do the title of this thread?
I have a unbranded ROM but it's loaded with my operators Data settings, and I'll be loathed to type them in if I decide to return to the stock ROM, so is there a way to save your current ROM incase it goes wrong, or your flash and decide to go back?
TIA Luke.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Search for r6-desire-root.zip, follow first link in google.
If it fails try it on another os (or pc), it will always succeed

ROM Manager backup. Copy it to your PC for safe keeping.

JohnSteveDoe said:
ROM Manager backup. Copy it to your PC for safe keeping.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
..with rom manager it really works great; also the restore procedure works - I tried it.

thanks guys,
new to this ROM flashing on the Android OS, so it's all new however the community is being great as always

Does anyone know if you can back up your ROM without root, before gaining root access?

Desire_this! said:
Does anyone know if you can back up your ROM without root, before gaining root access?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Simple answer is no, it can't be done. You need root to backup your rom.

Actually, you don't need root to do a nandroid backup. Just a custom recovery.

LBTaylor1984 said:
thanks guys,
new to this ROM flashing on the Android OS, so it's all new however the community is being great as always
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am new to this, coming from iphone. I just love all the features and customizations availalbe.
Rooting on my galaxys4 was easy. thanks all
Thanks for this info too. just what i was looking for.
:good:

If you have rooted and installed any decent backup software they can backup the entire rom and all settings.
Then even if you mess up your phone and boot loop it, as long as you can get into recovery you can restore everything.
So it serves multiple purposes, I prefer this method to rom manager and titanium backup.

Updated Rooted Device - Constant Reboot

Hi,
I need quick help. I unthinkably installed accepted to install a OTA update (2.29.405.5) on my Stock HTC ROM, forgetting that I had rooted my phone and the update was unsuccessful telling me that 'E:failed to verify whole- file signature'. Could someone tell me what to do next.
Thank you in advance.

Deeco7 said:
Hi,
I need quick help. I unthinkably installed accepted to install a OTA update (2.29.405.5) on my Stock HTC ROM, forgetting that I had rooted my phone and the update was unsuccessful telling me that 'E:failed to verify whole- file signature'. Could someone tell me what to do next.
Thank you in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you can boot into recovery, then wipe all data & restore the latest nandroid backup you had.
If you can't then install an Official HTC RUU ROM (but after that you need to root it again).

The OTA will have replaced the recovery so that can't be done. Flash the 2.29.405.5 RUU, root again and then restore the last nandroid you did

nagypapi said:
If you can boot into recovery, then wipe all data & restore the latest nandroid backup you had.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Brilliant! +1.
One more thing: Can you direct me to a guide to updating rooted device?

Deeco7 said:
Brilliant! +1.
One more thing: Can you direct me to a guide to updating rooted device?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A rooted device?
1. You update it manually from a .zip file, but then you have to ROOT it again.
I do not reccomend this one, because it can cause bootloops, or simply just won't work (depends on many factors).
2. Flash a custom ROM (even pre-rooted custom stock ROMs are on the site). A full list of ROMs can be found here.

As you've just found out, you can't update a rooted stock ROM so you answered your own question

Can I un-root then update OTA and then re-root, or will that cause problems too?

You can't unroot without flashing an RUU so you might as well flash the 2.29.405.5 RUU and then root that

Wow, what a headache. Is there anything else besides 'automatic download to sd card of apps' that has changed in this update that is worth flashing to?
If I decide to go ahead. Will I be able to use my nandroid backup?

Deeco7 said:
Wow, what a headache. Is there anything else besides 'automatic download to sd card of apps' that has changed in this update that is worth flashing to?
If I decide to go ahead. Will I be able to use my nandroid backup?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is what I've found (no changelog tough):
The first positive HTC Desire firmware change is that apps are now installed directly to the SD card for downloading, and I no longer go through the hassle of downloading and then move.
A couple of minor negative:
- The HTC Desire live wallpaper you can get “stuck”. By this I mean that if you use the stock HTC wallpaper live and go to the big screen to the left, a dark blue, to launch an app is a widget, then do not go back directly to the main page, the wall paper will continue to live on the left side of the Most of the screens (ie, that home screen is a darker blue). It looks cool when it happens.
- This HTC Desire update configures the application to sync kits. Just disable it again, then everything is fine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And you can use your nandroid backup (when you restore - it will use the previous version not this new one).

nagypapi said:
(when you restore - it will use the previous version not this new one).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry, I didn't understand this clearly, could you clarify.

I mean if you restore that it will overwrite the RUU version you want to flash.

Oh okay, I think I will stay with '2.29.405.2' for now, not worth updating or the hassle. Thanks both for the help.

Just wanted to know if there is an alternative way to back up apps and data when I choose to upgrade to latest firmware, and not have to worry about compatiblity or fw version. Thanks.

Basic root-nothing else- and a few questions

Hi,
So there seem to be quite a few tools and methods out there with which you can root your phone, but what if I really only want to root it and nothing else; my only goal is to use apps that require root access.
I've got Android 4.1.1, but I suppose it shouldn't matter that much. Will I be able to update to a newer version with root access though?
Forgot to add:
What will I need to back up and how do I transfer my settings and contacts? I don't care much for lost apps since I don't have many.

Unlock the bootloader and flash a custom recovery. After that you make a nandroid backup and then install the superuser root script to give root acces in the rom.
Flash back the stock recovery and you are able to receive and install official ota's.

Is this all possible with this tool?
Now I don't want to act dumb or seem inept, but could you or someone else give me a more detailed description, maybe with a link or two?

Yes you can use that tool :thumbup:

Did you see my edit to the first post?
>>What will I need to back up and how do I transfer my settings and contacts? I don't care much for lost apps since I don't have many.
Can you tell me why I need to flash a custom recovery? Can't I 'just' root my phone as is and then leave it like that- rooted of course?

You can use an app called carbon to make a backup. You need a custom recovery to install the super user script. A stock one is not capable if doing that. And you don't root a phone. Only its software !

With hassoons tool, how do I flash the stock ROM back on it? I can see no option in his thread...

The stock nandroid backup needs to be installed via the custom recovery. Not with hassons tool kit. You can in that case only flash back the stock boot.img from the stock backup.

Hi, I decided I wanted to go through with my plans to root the phone and already run into a problem:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=43066305&posted=1#post43066305
Most recentpost...
EDIT: Selected Power down on the phone because I was getting impatient and paranoid and then disconnected the phone. Everything seems fine so far. I closed the console and the message "Get Token ID.." popped up and then the console reopened, apparently searching for the phone... -_-
Oh well, maybe next time. Right now I want to take a break/try something else.
Can someone tell me why Windows always trys to install new drivers even when they already are installed? Happened when I used the programm- updating drivers blabla...

I'll try again here...
Just a question:
Can I definitely receive official android/sense/hwatever ota updates but still keep the root access?
What i've gathered so far is that I need to use hassoons tool and how to guide,but only the first post.
After that I will have a rooted stock ROM with ClockworkMod recovery, right?
Then I should do a nandroid backup WITH CWM (how is this done exactly? hold volume down +power button, then recovery?)
What will be backed up with the nandroid backup? How big will this be roughly and can I/should I put it on PC to free up some space?
Regardless from this backup, I only need the recovery.img, which in my case will be MY personal backed up STOCK recovery.img,is that correct?
How do I flash my stock recovery?
Edit:
Once I have the stock recovery again, will my phone still have root access? Is everything from then on -stock- except for root access?

[Q] Newb M8 questions

Hi all,
Long time reader, first time poster.
Please don't kill me if my questions are somehow dumb. I promise I searched the web and xda thouroughly before posting.
1) I rooted my phone with HTCDev.com for the sole purpose of installing titanium backup. I tried to unintall some unwanted bloatware (scribble, tv, twitter, zoe, fitbit and more...) but they keep returning after boot. Why is that? Is it related to S-on? Is there a simple way to fix this?
2) My current software version is 1.54.707.7, I can update OTA to 2.22.707.3. Should I? From my experience with my previous samsung device, I'm afraid that updating blindly can cause more harm than good at some cases.
3) Can I update OTA even when I'm rooted? Will I need to replace the recovery and root again?
Thanks in advance,
Tal

talla1 said:
Hi all,
Long time reader, first time poster.
Please don't kill me if my questions are somehow dumb. I promise I searched the web and xda thouroughly before posting.
1) I rooted my phone with HTCDev.com for the sole purpose of installing titanium backup. I tried to unintall some unwanted bloatware (scribble, tv, twitter, zoe, fitbit and more...) but they keep returning after boot. Why is that? Is it related to S-on? Is there a simple way to fix this?
2) My current software version is 1.54.707.7, I can update OTA to 2.22.707.3. Should I? From my experience with my previous samsung device, I'm afraid that updating blindly can cause more harm than good at some cases.
3) Can I update OTA even when I'm rooted? Will I need to replace the recovery and root again?
Thanks in advance,
Tal
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi Tal,
ok let's see if I can help you a little bit.
Regarding (1) I got a question: where and which files of the named apps did you delete?
Regarding (2) Sure you could update vis OTA as long as all system apps and stock recovery ist installed. Did you reinstall stock recovery, or are you unsing some custom recovery? As with custom recovery you can download but not install the OTA. This can then be done even if you are rooted. If you use supersu having the pro version installed you could try activating OTA survival mode and maybe root acces will still be there after performing the OTA. If not you could simply reinstall a custom recovery and using this root.
Hope this helps!?
If you could give me some answers regarding (1) I'll try to help ypu with this as well.

HTCNerdYoda said:
Hi Tal,
ok let's see if I can help you a little bit.
Regarding (1) I got a question: where and which files of the named apps did you delete?
Regarding (2) Sure you could update vis OTA as long as all system apps and stock recovery ist installed. Did you reinstall stock recovery, or are you unsing some custom recovery? As with custom recovery you can download but not install the OTA. This can then be done even if you are rooted. If you use supersu having the pro version installed you could try activating OTA survival mode and maybe root acces will still be there after performing the OTA. If not you could simply reinstall a custom recovery and using this root.
Hope this helps!?
If you could give me some answers regarding (1) I'll try to help ypu with this as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the detailed and fast response, Yoda!
Regarding (1), I'm not sure I understand what you mean "where and which files". I backed up the mentioned apps in titanium backup, and then uninstalled them, again, with titanium backup. This method worked for me on my previous device (Samsung i9300).
Regarding (2), that's valuable information that I did not get anywhere from reading the sticky posts. I didn't know that the original recovery is needed in order to update OTA. I installed TWRP in order to install SuperSU. Is there a specific version of stock recovery that goes with the device? Or is there just one stock recovery for m8?
I had another question hidden in there, I'll make it number 3:
(3) Can someone tell me if the 2.22.707.3 version is any good? Stable enough? Or should I stick with 1.54.707.7 in the meanwhile?
Thanks allot!
Tal

talla1 said:
Thanks for the detailed and fast response, Yoda!
Regarding (1), I'm not sure I understand what you mean "where and which files". I backed up the mentioned apps in titanium backup, and then uninstalled them, again, with titanium backup. This method worked for me on my previous device (Samsung i9300).
Regarding (2), that's valuable information that I did not get anywhere from reading the sticky posts. I didn't know that the original recovery is needed in order to update OTA. I installed TWRP in order to install SuperSU. Is there a specific version of stock recovery that goes with the device? Or is there just one stock recovery for m8?
I had another question hidden in there, I'll make it number 3:
(3) Can someone tell me if the 2.22.707.3 version is any good? Stable enough? Or should I stick with 1.54.707.7 in the meanwhile?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
(1) there are two folder /system/app and /system/priv-app. And overall there is the rw settings of the new kernel used. To be abled to unistall unwanted system apps maybe take a look at this post: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2723463, as maybe you need another kernel to accomplish it.
(2) you have to use a corresponding recovery, meaning you would have to download the 1.54.707.7 recovery (just google for it and you should find it in any forum) to work.
(3) I'm sorry that I can't be of any help here, as I performed an S-OFF debranding my phone and changin the CID to HTC__102 right from the start, setting it up to be on the WWE 2.22.401.4 since then.

3) the newest update (2.22 one) is very stable for me, no problems at all.
Sent from my One M8 using XDA Free mobile app

Thanks for this information!
Sent from my HTC One_M8 using XDA Free mobile app

HTCNerdYoda said:
Thanks for this information!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1) HTCDev unlocks the boot loader, it doesn't root. This can delete some default system apps, preventing an OTA. In order to have changes to system stick after reboot you need a kernel module: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=51543139
2) Don't worry, HTC are much better with updates than Samsung. They work, you can trust them.
3) Once you have unlocked boot loader, you may struggle to update OTA due to the missing apps, but there are threads here explaining what to do. As mentioned, you'll need stock recovery and yes, you may need to root again, after installing your custom recovery after the update.

BenPope said:
1) HTCDev unlocks the boot loader, it doesn't root. This can delete some default system apps, preventing an OTA. In order to have changes to system stick after reboot you need a kernel module: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=51543139
2) Don't worry, HTC are much better with updates than Samsung. They work, you can trust them.
3) Once you have unlocked boot loader, you may struggle to update OTA due to the missing apps, but there are threads here explaining what to do. As mentioned, you'll need stock recovery and yes, you may need to root again, after installing your custom recovery after the update.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for all the valuable info!!
I tried searching for the recovery, but as always, it's not that simple.. Too many sources of information and I don't know who's genuine. I haven't found a link on XDA yet (to the full stock ROM yes, not for the recovery only).
You say that OTA is a hassle when the recovery is replaced. I'm not stressed on upgrading OTA. How WOULD YOU SUGGEST to upgrade? Downloading the newest stock from XDA and using fastboot?
I created nandroid backups before but never restored one, so JUST TO BE SURE: this backup will be the full snapshot? Meaning: my old version (if the new one sucks) + apps + data? I don't need to backup ANYTHING except doing a nandroid backup?
Thanks again.
Tal
UPDATE: dug around some more and found the stock recoveries here after following the link from this post.
But before I flash anything, I just want to make sure that:
1) The nandroid I'll do in TWRP is the only backup I need to do.
2) There is no simpler option than returning to stock recovery, updating OTA, returning to TWRP recovery, rooting.
Tal

[Q] Rooted phone and want to install OTA update

The OTA 4.4.3 update is now available for my phone, but I've rooted it, and I've read the horror stories so I'm not going to blunder blindly into this
My rooting experience went a little poorly - I thought I was doing the right thing by backing everything up on the phone first, using Helium. Unfortunately Helium simply did the backup onto the internal storage itself, so it all got wiped during the process anyway.
Anyway, I got over that, but now I want to install the OTA 4.4.3 update. So here's the things I've done which I think are relevant:
1. Installed TWRP recovery, as required for rooting
2. Have flashed the SuperSU program for root
3. AFAIK I'm still on "stock" - I haven't gone out to find any special roms etc
4. Had to reinstall the calc and flashlight apps as they were missing after the whole exercise (so many I'm not on stock, or they would be there?)
5. I have installed Xposed Framework and the Sense 6 tweaks and GravityBox apps.
6. I tried to uninstall some system apps (Facebook, Twitter, things I don't use) with a root uninstaller program, but every time the phone reboots they re-appear, so I think I need s-off to do that properly?
7. I've 'Disabled' the weibo app through the standard app info button
I understand I have to go back to the "stock recovery" in order to do the OTA update, but is there anything else in the above list that I need to do anything about?
Will going back to the stock recovery mean I lose all of the content on my device again, and have to restore it from a backup? If I use the HTC backup app to back up all my phone data on the rooted 4.4.2 I'm running, can this then be restored onto the 4.4.3 version?
Also is the problem I mention in #6 solved by going s-off?

Lanthanide said:
The OTA 4.4.3 update is now available for my phone, but I've rooted it, and I've read the horror stories so I'm not going to blunder blindly into this
My rooting experience went a little poorly - I thought I was doing the right thing by backing everything up on the phone first, using Helium. Unfortunately Helium simply did the backup onto the internal storage itself, so it all got wiped during the process anyway.
Anyway, I got over that, but now I want to install the OTA 4.4.3 update. So here's the things I've done which I think are relevant:
1. Installed TWRP recovery, as required for rooting
2. Have flashed the SuperSU program for root
3. AFAIK I'm still on "stock" - I haven't gone out to find any special roms etc
4. Had to reinstall the calc and flashlight apps as they were missing after the whole exercise (so many I'm not on stock, or they would be there?)
5. I have installed Xposed Framework and the Sense 6 tweaks and GravityBox apps.
6. I tried to uninstall some system apps (Facebook, Twitter, things I don't use) with a root uninstaller program, but every time the phone reboots they re-appear, so I think I need s-off to do that properly?
7. I've 'Disabled' the weibo app through the standard app info button
I understand I have to go back to the "stock recovery" in order to do the OTA update, but is there anything else in the above list that I need to do anything about?
Will going back to the stock recovery mean I lose all of the content on my device again, and have to restore it from a backup? If I use the HTC backup app to back up all my phone data on the rooted 4.4.2 I'm running, can this then be restored onto the 4.4.3 version?
Also is the problem I mention in #6 solved by going s-off?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Flashing back stock recovery you won't loose anything. This just happens during the unlock process if done with HTCDev.
Good that you are not S-Off and FB, Twitter and so on are still installed, as otherwise you wouldn't be abled to perform the OTA. An OTA is only going to run if the whole system is unchanged.
Only thing that's quite likely going to happen, is that you root is lost after the OTA. Tthus you would have to flash TWRP and the SuperSu again, after the OTA.

HTCNerdYoda said:
Flashing back stock recovery you won't loose anything. This just happens during the unlock process if done with HTCDev.
Good that you are not S-Off and FB, Twitter and so on are still installed, as otherwise you wouldn't be abled to perform the OTA. An OTA is only going to run if the whole system is unchanged.
Only thing that's quite likely going to happen, is that you root is lost after the OTA. Tthus you would have to flash TWRP and the SuperSu again, after the OTA.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought it didn't matter if you were s/off or not, so long as recovery and OS were stock and CID matched (or were SuperCID).

bruce7373 said:
I thought it didn't matter if you were s/off or not, so long as recovery and OS were stock and CID matched (or were SuperCID).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It doesn't matter in general. But it matters in case that you used S-Off to uninstall system APPs Thus an OTA wouldn't succeed.
That's what I wanted to say in my post above
Sent from my HTC One_M8 using XDA Free mobile app

Wow found my answer already. Just to confirm. I'm in the same situation. Rooted. Installed twrp and su. Went to s-off with firewater but got the whelp message.
Got the OTA update in this morning. Tried installing it, went to my recovery so I tried to install it. It failed of course. Phone is still ok.
I'm just making sure I'll do this ok. Gotta go back to original recovery then install it or am I just better off going to a custom rom?
On my vivid, I used paranoid when it was available, used pacman for a bit. Also used the CyanogenMod. I know recommendation shouldn't be made but i know on my vivid there were lots of issues since there wasn't a specific team rolling out the roms but someone porting them from the specific team. Is there a team dedicated to this phone? If so are their roms leaps ahead of the ones ported over? Just looking at the downloads you can tell which one is the most popular, that doesn't always mean they are the best.
Thanks for any advice.

Yuskow said:
Wow found my answer already. Just to confirm. I'm in the same situation. Rooted. Installed twrp and su. Went to s-off with firewater but got the whelp message.
Got the OTA update in this morning. Tried installing it, went to my recovery so I tried to install it. It failed of course. Phone is still ok.
I'm just making sure I'll do this ok. Gotta go back to original recovery then install it or am I just better off going to a custom rom?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would revert to stock recovery and get me this OTA. And you need a 2.22.xxx FW for some of the custom ROMs currently available.
It's the fastest way to update your firmware anyway
Alternatively you could try to perform an S-Off using SunShine and paying 25$ for it, as I did to flash the newest FW.

HTCNerdYoda said:
I would revert to stock recovery and get me this OTA. And you need a 2.22.xxx FW for some of the custom ROMs currently available.
It's the fastest way to update your firmware anyway
Alternatively you could try to perform an S-Off using SunShine and paying 25$ for it, as I did to flash the newest FW.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Got my cid as bm 001
so i got the nandroid backup here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2701376
now i just do a restore under twrp?
is the s-off really worth it?

Yuskow said:
Got my cid as bm 001
so i got the nandroid backup here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2701376
now i just do a restore under twrp?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As long as the ROM you are using is stock and you only routetd, you just need to flash stock recovery for the OTA to succeed.
Yuskow said:
is the s-off really worth it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well from my point of view: yes it is. Needed S-Off to debrand my One M8 and change CID to a WWE one. Well and additionally you can do a lot more if the security flag is on off (never without propper reading before doing it of course).

Yuskow said:
Wow found my answer already. Just to confirm. I'm in the same situation. Rooted. Installed twrp and su. Went to s-off with firewater but got the whelp message.
Got the OTA update in this morning. Tried installing it, went to my recovery so I tried to install it. It failed of course. Phone is still ok.
I'm just making sure I'll do this ok. Gotta go back to original recovery then install it or am I just better off going to a custom rom?
On my vivid, I used paranoid when it was available, used pacman for a bit. Also used the CyanogenMod. I know recommendation shouldn't be made but i know on my vivid there were lots of issues since there wasn't a specific team rolling out the roms but someone porting them from the specific team. Is there a team dedicated to this phone? If so are their roms leaps ahead of the ones ported over? Just looking at the downloads you can tell which one is the most popular, that doesn't always mean they are the best.
Thanks for any advice.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had the Vivid as well and ended up with a 4.4.2 ROM which seemed to be the most current that was available at the time, but can't remember the name or the dev.
As for the M8, I've been on ARHD almost exclusively and think it's one of the best ROMs out there. I've tried Viper, MaximusHD, Renovate also, but always come back to ARHD.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2694917
---------- Post added at 07:40 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:33 AM ----------
HTCNerdYoda said:
As long as the ROM you are using is stock and you only routetd, you just need to flash stock recovery for the OTA to succeed.
Well from my point of view: yes it is. Needed S-Off to debrand my One M8 and change CID to a WWE one. Well and additionally you can do a lot more if the security flag is on off (never without propper reading before doing it of course).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the WWE edition and am currently with ATT. I'm considering their new update mainly to see if the new firmware/radio will give me better LTE speeds. The fw is 2.23 based. Will that be a problem if or when I return to ARHD which is on 2.22?

bruce7373 said:
I have the WWE edition and am currently with ATT. I'm considering their new update mainly to see if the new firmware/radio will give me better LTE speeds. The fw is 2.23 based. Will that be a problem if or when I return to ARHD which is on 2.22?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's a really good question. Regarding ViperOne I could tell that running 1.8.0 (which was on 1.54.xx base) with 2.22.xxx FW worked flawlessly. So I would guess this should work just fine.
At least it's worth a try. Maybe better ask in the ROM thread.

Used arhd on my vivid for a bit. Must say it was an ok rom but lots of issues in general with all new roms on the vivid. Hardware too outdated. Maybe I'll give it a shot. Really leaning to a de-senced one.

HTCNerdYoda said:
Flashing back stock recovery you won't loose anything. This just happens during the unlock process if done with HTCDev.
Good that you are not S-Off and FB, Twitter and so on are still installed, as otherwise you wouldn't be abled to perform the OTA. An OTA is only going to run if the whole system is unchanged.
Only thing that's quite likely going to happen, is that you root is lost after the OTA. Tthus you would have to flash TWRP and the SuperSu again, after the OTA.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, that's encouraging.
My CID is HTC__621 although I don't think I need that for just flashing back to stock recovery. My version is 1.54.709.12, so I downloaded the matching recovery from here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2701376 and flashed it. I confirmed that the stock recovery was installed by booting to it and getting the red triangle etc.
Then I downloaded the OTA upgrade and told it to install. I didn't watch the installation progress, but eventually it went to the red triangle screen and finally rebooted. But I'm still on 1.54.709.12, so I take that to mean the OTA failed. When I go to system update, it checks and finds one available and offers to download it again, which I haven't done.
I'm wondering if 'disabling' the weibo program could have caused the update to fail? Or possibly I *did* actually uninstall a stock program or two that I mentioned at #6 and that's what's preventing the update?
Anyway, I made a complete nandroid backup on the external SD card before I flashed the recovery. It seems like the easiest approach now would be to flash a stock ROM for HTC__621 then do the OTA upgrade. After that, I could restore my HTC sync (the app) backup from the cloud, but if I wasn't happy with that I could recover the data portion of my nandroid backup?

Lanthanide said:
Ok, that's encouraging.
Anyway, I made a complete nandroid backup on the external SD card before I flashed the recovery. It seems like the easiest approach now would be to flash a stock ROM for HTC__621 then do the OTA upgrade. After that, I could restore my HTC sync (the app) backup from the cloud, but if I wasn't happy with that I could recover the data portion of my nandroid backup?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In fact you are right. The OTA fails as something on the system has been changed that's critical to the OTA.
So I would back up the data on the phone I need, download a stock nandroid backup for your CID, install with twrp, re-flash stock recovery and perform the OTA again.

HTCNerdYoda said:
In fact you are right. The OTA fails as something on the system has been changed that's critical to the OTA.
So I would back up the data on the phone I need, download a stock nandroid backup for your CID, install with twrp, re-flash stock recovery and perform the OTA again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, so I put on a stock nadroid backup for HTC__621, changed to stock recovery, but the OTA update is still failing at around the 30% mark.
Actually I've just noticed that the stock ROM I put on doesn't have the calc or flashlight apps, but when I originally bought the phone they were on there. I had subsequently installed them using the apps on this thread here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2699906
But maybe that is what is preventing me from doing the OTA now?
Edit: Right, so doing some more reading, it seems that HTC included these 'stock' apps in the /data directory instead of /system, so when doing the HTCDev install, they get wiped. But there was a note in that thread saying that for the One M7, they would actually do a hash of those apps too and if they weren't there the update would fail.
Someone linked to this thread http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2703759 which says the APKs in the first one were from the M7, and these are from M8, and it also included another one called Seven Digital (yet another bloatware app I don't care about, hence why I didn't notice it was gone). Anyway I installed those 3 apps, but the OTA update still fails at around the 30% mark. I notice that the thread says preload APKs for 1.54.401.5, but my phone is running 1.54.709.12, so if they really are doing hashing for all of these apps, the update might be expectly a slightly different version and therefore fail the hash check?

Resolved!
Right, posting as new post because I solved it!
I searched through the collection thread and luckily found someone else who has HTC__621 who wanted to do the 4.4.3 upgrade as well. ckpv5 stepped in to lend a hand with this post: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=54598052&postcount=1514
The TWRP stock ROM he posted there includes the flashlight and calculator app, as well as another one that looks like it was missing - WeChat. So now the OTA update has applied as expected. :highfive
I'll suggest Mr Hofs remove the existing nandroid backup for HTC__621 that he has there because it isn't complete.

Weirdly after all that was done, now that I have 4.4.3, the calc and flashlight apps are again missing; no sign of WeChat either. So I'll probably have to go through this whole performance again next time I want to OTA update?
Edit: More findings. In installing Xposed Framework on my phone, it can't do the 'classical' install because of S-on, instead it flashes it through recovery. So I suspect this could have been preventing the OTA update as well.

Lanthanide said:
Weirdly after all that was done, now that I have 4.4.3, the calc and flashlight apps are again missing; no sign of WeChat either. So I'll probably have to go through this whole performance again next time I want to OTA update?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because you relocked bootloader when you did the OTA update. So those files were deleted when you re-unlocked bootloader after OTA done.
There's a TWRP backup for the latest here : http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=55097943&postcount=1744
Just a note : there is no need to relock bootloader to do OTA update.

ckpv5 said:
Because you relocked bootloader when you did the OTA update. So those files were deleted when you re-unlocked bootloader after OTA done.
There's a TWRP backup for the latest here : http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=55097943&postcount=1744
Just a note : there is no need to relock bootloader to do OTA update.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, at least there's an explanation for what happened, but I didn't at any point explicitly lock the bootloader. All I did was:
1. Flash TWRP recovery
2. Flash the ROM you provided
3. Boot the phone, going through the setup stuff to configure wifi etc
4. Booted to fastboot and flashed to stock recovery
5. Rebooted phone, downloaded and installed OTA update
6. Booted to fastboot and re-flashed TWRP, ran nandroid backup and then installed superSU when offered
At what point would the locking of the bootloader have occurred?

Lanthanide said:
At what point would the locking of the bootloader have occurred?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Re-unlocking bootloader is one scenario that may happen that remove the preload folder.
Restoring an old backup which doesn't have the preload folder is another scenario.
Anyway that is easily can be fix by pushing the preload folder from OTA zip to /data
then make a new backup for future OTA

ckpv5 said:
Re-unlocking bootloader is one scenario that may happen that remove the preload folder.
Restoring an old backup which doesn't have the preload folder is another scenario.
Anyway that is easily can be fix by pushing the preload folder from OTA zip to /data
then make a new backup for future OTA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, well like I said, I didn't explicitly choose the lock the bootloader at any point, and the nandroid backup that you created *did* have the extra apps in there (I confirmed their presence at step 3 in my sequence).
Note that I'm not trying to be argumentative, just explaining my experience in case this might help others in the future.