Develop Bugs

[Q] Root and OTA updates

Hi,
What are experiences of current owners of Nexus phones ? My Desire Z is rooted ( only rooted, don't have a custom ROM), and I never got Gingerbread update so I'd hate the same thing happening to G Nexus.
Thanks.

zljk said:
Hi,
What are experiences of current owners of Nexus phones ? My Desire Z is rooted ( only rooted, don't have a custom ROM), and I never got Gingerbread update so I'd hate the same thing happening to G Nexus.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That will never happen with the GN. When you own this phone you're first in line for the updates until the next is coming out then you're second but still faster than the others.
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA App

When you're rooted you can't get the OTA updates. You have to unroot to apply them. That's true for all Android phones.

You cant get them at all?
Not even: get update and apply it, loose root because of the update, reroot?
Sent from my A500 using Tapatalk

TulpiX said:
You cant get them at all?
Not even: get update and apply it, loose root because of the update, reroot?
Sent from my A500 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you could do that, but chances are someone will get the OTA before you and pre root it for everyones pleasure and you can just flash that via recovery

TulpiX said:
You cant get them at all?
Not even: get update and apply it, loose root because of the update, reroot?
Sent from my A500 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If my experiences with my OG Droid match up with the Nexus line, if you've only rooted and haven't actually installed another ROM, you should be able to apply the OTA update and lose root because of it. Then just root again.

martonikaj said:
When you're rooted you can't get the OTA updates. You have to unroot to apply them. That's true for all Android phones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've seen some threads claiming that root itself doesn't affect updates, but changing of data on system partition.... Was kind of hoping there is a way to have my cake and eat it too - don't mind having to root the phone all over again after the OTA....
Anyhow - as an alternative, is there a way to get official Nexus updates ( stock ) using other channels except OTA ? What was happening with old Nexus phones ?

zljk said:
I've seen some threads claiming that root itself doesn't affect updates, but changing of data on system partition.... Was kind of hoping there is a way to have my cake and eat it too - don't mind having to root the phone all over again after the OTA....
Anyhow - as an alternative, is there a way to get official Nexus updates ( stock ) using other channels except OTA ? What was happening with old Nexus phones ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The alternate way to get official Nexus updates is to download the update zip file once someone copies it off their device and uploads it, and install it in whatever fashion works.

I rooted my Nexus One without unlocking the bootloader or using custom recovery. I definitely still got OTA updates and they worked fine, but would unroot the phone.
The solution is to use a custom recovery and apply the update .zip manually, then reflash superuser before rebooting. Whenever an OTA update comes out, someone eventually uses logcat to get the URL to the zip and posts it so anyone can download it.
I was rooted on Froyo and got the OTA update to Gingerbread no problem, but I lost root. I eventually got root again (Gingerbreak) and when the 2.3.4 update came out, I did it manually in custom recovery to keep root.
Now I run CM7.1 so I definitely don't get OTA updates from Google

TulpiX said:
You cant get them at all?
Not even: get update and apply it, loose root because of the update, reroot?
Sent from my A500 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It will often download and you can try but it will either fail, unroot you, or cause troubles.
You're best off applying the pre-rooted update, or unrooting and taking the OTA.

martonikaj said:
When you're rooted you can't get the OTA updates. You have to unroot to apply them. That's true for all Android phones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True. However it's trivial to repackage an OTA update to a rooted update and since it's very compatible with the source in AOSP and you get working drivers very early you can start messing around with it straight away.

blunden said:
True. However it's trivial to repackage an OTA update to a rooted update and since it's very compatible with the source in AOSP and you get working drivers very early you can start messing around with it straight away.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Of course, as is often the case for most phones supported here on XDA. the rooted OTA comes in the form of a .zip soon after it comes out.

slowz3r said:
you could do that, but chances are someone will get the OTA before you and pre root it for everyones pleasure and you can just flash that via recovery
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When flashing the rooted OTA via recovery, does it wipe the phone (apps and all)?
Also for the other method, when unrooting >> applying OTA >> rooting again, does it wipe the phone at any point during this process?
Help would be appreciated and rewarded!

I just received my OTA update notification and found the update zip itself in the cache of my phone. I can post that update zip here if a mod can come along and tell me where to put it. I am going to wait till I'm home so I can have my rooting facilities handy before starting.

phazerorg said:
I rooted my Nexus One without unlocking the bootloader or using custom recovery. I definitely still got OTA updates and they worked fine, but would unroot the phone.
The solution is to use a custom recovery and apply the update .zip manually, then reflash superuser before rebooting. Whenever an OTA update comes out, someone eventually uses logcat to get the URL to the zip and posts it so anyone can download it.
I was rooted on Froyo and got the OTA update to Gingerbread no problem, but I lost root. I eventually got root again (Gingerbreak) and when the 2.3.4 update came out, I did it manually in custom recovery to keep root.
Now I run CM7.1 so I definitely don't get OTA updates from Google
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1. Exactly.
There is a lot of wrong (or slightly incorrect) information in this thread.
Have root has no impact whatsoever in your ability to receive or apply the OTA update. This has been the case on every Android device. However, if you have a custom recovery flashed, you will not be able to automatically apply the update - you will have to find the zip file in the cache and use your custom recovery to apply it.
On a slightly separate note, once you apply the update either automatically or manually via custom recovery, you will lose root. However, if you do have a custom recovery, as long as you flash ChainsDD's superuser package immediately after applying the update, but before rebooting, you will retain root.
On another separate not, if you flash the update as is from Google, it includes a file (/system/recovery-from-boot.p) that re-flashes the stock recovery on every boot, so you will lose your custom recovery. Either remove the file before flashing the update, or just re-flash your custom recovery.

[Q] Help about rooting and other stuff

Sorry if this question has been asked before, but i could not find any.
So i got the Nexus beast yesterday, and it's already blazing me off with it's greatness. But i got a few problems though:
1. I got the jakjuxw, not the jakju, will i get the same updates as the jakju OTA, but only a week later or so?
2. I did not root the phone before starting using it, but i regret that now. Is there any way i can root it and NOT lose all of my apps and data? I have spent so many hours to customize this device and i dont want to start all over (yes i know about app backup's, but they are slow)
3. If i root but stay with the stock rom, will i still be getting the original OTA updates or does i have to flash the roms manually and wipe the phone every time?
I'd appreciate it if anyone could answer all the questions =)

Baguett said:
Sorry if this question has been asked before, but i could not find any.
So i got the Nexus beast yesterday, and it's already blazing me off with it's greatness. But i got a few problems though:
1. I got the jakjuxw, not the jakju, will i get the same updates as the jakju OTA, but only a week later or so?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure about this, it probably depends on what they want to release. I don't think there's any kind of guarantee they'll get the same updates, but there's also probably no reason why they wouldn't.
2. I did not root the phone before starting using it, but i regret that now. Is there any way i can root it and NOT lose all of my apps and data? I have spent so many hours to customize this device and i dont want to start all over (yes i know about app backup's, but they are slow)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You need to unlock the bootloader to root, and unlocking the bootloader wipes the device. Sorry. Someday an exploit might be found for ICS that allows you to root without unlocking.
3. If i root but stay with the stock rom, will i still be getting the original OTA updates or does i have to flash the roms manually and wipe the phone every time?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you keep stock recovery, you'll still get OTA updates when rooted. If you use custom recovery like ClockworkMod, you'll have to do them manually (but you won't need to wipe). In both cases, applying the update will probably cause you to lose root and you'll have to re-root. This is easy if you've unlocked the bootloader.
If you root by using some future exploit, you might find that the update you just installed removed root and closed the hole that allowed you to gain it without unlocking the bootloader, and now you're left stuck without root. I'd say just unlock the bootloader now and be done with it. It'll be a pain, but then you don't need to worry about it again.

phazerorg said:
If you keep stock recovery, you'll still get OTA updates when rooted. If you use custom recovery like ClockworkMod, you'll have to do them manually (but you won't need to wipe). In both cases, applying the update will probably cause you to lose root and you'll have to re-root. This is easy if you've unlocked the bootloader.
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Click to collapse
ok thanks
Just unlocked it and rooted it, but i think im gonna install the official google 4.0.2 rom, i wil get the OTA updates then too right?
edit: how am i able to flash a rom without CWM? Also do i really not need to wipe my phone if i use CWM? i had to do it on my Desire.

Baguett said:
ok thanks
Just unlocked it and rooted it, but i think im gonna install the official google 4.0.2 rom, i wil get the OTA updates then too right?
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Click to collapse
Yes, but the updates will probably unroot you. You should be able to just re-root after. If using CWM you can probably flash superuser right after flashing the update and not lose root at all. This is what I always did with my Nexus One when I still had the rooted stock ROM.
edit: how am i able to flash a rom without CWM?
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Click to collapse
If the ROM comes as images (like the Google factory images) you can flash with fastboot. The Google ones come with a script that uses fastboot to do it for you.
Also do i really not need to wipe my phone if i use CWM? i had to do it on my Desire.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I meant installing updates here... you don't usually need to wipe if you are installing updates to your current ROM, such as OTA updates to the stock ROM. You need to wipe if you're changing ROMs. It's probably no different than your Desire.

How to UNROOT the Jelly Bean 4.1.1?

Okay, I was on ICS 4.0.4 Yakju build. I flashed it using Gnex tool kit and then rooted the phone as well. Also left the bootloaded unlocked.
Today I received the OTA 4.1.1 Jelly Bean update. I began with the procedure and it downloaded well and good but then the installation was interrupted and the phone booted into my old 4.0.4 version. As it turns out, you should not accept the OTA update if you're rooted (lucky, I got away with it). I dont exactly know what caused my installation to fail, the root or the unlocked bootloader or both. Anyway, I used Gnex Tool Kit and 'Flashed the Google Factory Stock Rom' (exactly the same way how I got the yakju 4.0.4 build in the first place) , that left my phone with just as new Stock 4.0.4, UNROOTED with locked bootloader! Just like out of the box. Then I went on with my OTA update and it went through like a charm.
Anyway, now I'm on 4.1.1 Jelly Bean. I want to root the phone because I use too many apps that requires root access. So the latest version of Gnex Tool Kit (7.4) supports Jelly Bean root. But I dont wanna Root my phone this time unless I know how to UnRoot it. Don't wanna go against OTAs. (might start using CM rom when the next android version comes out) but till then I only want OTA updates.
So, can anyone tell me how to UNROOT the 4.1.1 Jelly Bean? (without wipe or deleting all the data) It'll be awesome if it can be done by Gnext Tool Kit. If not, then I dont mind doing it the hard way.
I wanted to post this question in 'Gnext toolkit' forum but I dont have enough privileges. So please help me out
As you can see I'm a noob. So please excuse my ignorance :/
Thanks a lot

Nobody? Please anyone help

Well root and your bootloader status (unlocked or not) really shouldn't affect your ability to receive an OTA IIRC. It should still work successfully although you may lose root.
Anywho, to unroot all you have to do is delete the 'superuser' application whether it be Superuser or SuperSu and then delete 'su' in /system/bin. That should work though IMO the cleanest way to unroot is to just restore the stock images.

Unlawful said:
Anywho, to unroot all you have to do is delete the 'superuser' application whether it be Superuser or SuperSu and then delete 'su' in /system/bin. That should work though IMO the cleanest way to unroot is to just restore the stock images.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, I guess you cant uninstall SuperUser. I tried that before updating but it acts like a system app and you cant delete it, unless you have 'System app remover' software, but then again it needs Root access to work so the whole thing is pointless I guess
And restore stock image HOW? I mean can you elaborate a lil please!
Using Gnex Tool Kit, which option? (my guess, 'Flash Google Factory Stock Rom' cuz for me it works but it wipes all your data.. backup solution?)

Super su has an unroot option
Here's a screenshot attached
Hit Thanks if i helped

Niallfitzy1 said:
Super su has an unroot option
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey thanks
But does it work on Jelly Bean?? Also, when you Root Gnex using ToolKit then you have SuperUser and not SuperSU :| Whats the way around it?

tojonegi said:
Hey thanks
But does it work on Jelly Bean?? Also, when you Root Gnex using ToolKit then you have SuperUser and not SuperSU :| Whats the way around it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Installing supersu and giving it root access to update such binary removes original superuser apps control you can switch just by downloading super su so it should work, cannot test myself though
Hit thanks if I helped

Niallfitzy1 said:
Installing supersu and giving it root access to update such binary removes original superuser apps control you can switch just by downloading super su so it should work, cannot test myself though
Hit thanks if I helped
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay thanks, I'm gonna try this ^^
Hope it works well in the future while receiving OTA updates
P.S. I'd already hit Thanks

[Q] OTA updates run automatically?

This is my first Nexus. If I unlock the bootloader and root, and stay with rooted stock, would a future OTA update relock the bootloader and undo root?
Also, are the OTA updates automatic, or can I choose not to install the update?

Ectoplasmic said:
This is my first Nexus. If I unlock the bootloader and root, and stay with rooted stock, would a future OTA update relock the bootloader and undo root?
Also, are the OTA updates automatic, or can I choose not to install the update?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Once you are unlocked, you won't become locked unless you manually lock it. This is the case even if you accept an OTA or factory restore.
Some OTAs are mandatory like the one most people got when they turned on the unit, however most are optional and won't install unless you choose to, either on purpose or by accident.

sfhub said:
Once you are unlocked, you won't become locked unless you manually lock it. This is the case even if you accept an OTA or factory restore.
Some OTAs are mandatory like the one most people got when they turned on the unit, however most are optional and won't install unless you choose to, either on purpose or by accident.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
However, to be fair, the DEB JLS36I update out there right now will cause you to lose root. It does not lock the bootloader, but it does whack root and custom recoveries. Unless you choose the option in TWRP to recover root after the install, in which case it rolls back the update and keeps both TWRP and root, meaning you are as you were as before. A few days later, you get the prompt to install the update again, and the circle of life continues.

Does that mean rooted and unlocked on JSS15R I can get the next OTA update but I loose root? I dont have any custom stuff like recovery or rom, just unlocked and rooted for a few apps like titanium backup, cpu Z and gemeni app manager

AndroidGreg said:
Does that mean rooted and unlocked on JSS15R I can get the next OTA update but I loose root? I dont have any custom stuff like recovery or rom, just unlocked and rooted for a few apps like titanium backup, cpu Z and gemeni app manager
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can get the update and just re-root.
However if you have modified or removed any files, ota will very likely fail. Removing stock app would be an example of removing a file. On the other hand disabling stock app would be fine.

What if I just bought a nexus 7 LTE and already updated to to JLS36I? How would I get root then? Hypothetically of course...
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

lastdeadmouse said:
What if I just bought a nexus 7 LTE and already updated to to JLS36I? How would I get root then? Hypothetically of course...
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same way you would if you hadn't installed JLS36I
Unlock bootloader
Boot into custom recovery
Install root

Rooting questions (kinda newb again)

I have unlocked my bootloader, I have gone through the process of installing TWRP RC1, I have also installed SU 2.79 as guides have shown to do. I have also installed adaway after rooting, as well as titanium backup.
What is left to do now? I have read that if I stay on stock but rooted, when a security update comes out next month and I take it, my device turns into brickmode. I don't intend to stay on stock, I am taking the time to learn all the ins and outs of each rom that exists currently and trying to make a decision which one I like best, and especially what kind of challenging process exists for flashing the rom as well as putting TWRP back on then SU, and the confusing part about doing the vendor image. So yea, still learning. The last time I rooted and flashed anything was LGG3 days, so it's a learning curve again.
Am I supposed to be using a flash drive for anything? Or is that not needed if following the installation process for whatever rom is out there.
Thanks in advance, everyone has been very helpful so far.

There is no need for a flash drive. You can easily disable OTA on stock, and there is no need for a custom rom. In fact, I am rooted on stock. Also, the OTA should not be able to go through while rooted but I have seen myself that it does work surprisingly. My guess is this is because of the dual partitions, but no, you will not get bricked if you accept an OTA. The worst that would happen is that you would lose root. I'm guessing this is due to the dual slots. The OTA overwrites the other slot and swaps it on reboot. You should be able to just get in again but without root.

And if it does fail you can download the full OTA from google and install it with TWRP or adb install it.
Turn off updates in dev options. A couple of people have gotten hit with big data bills from it downloading over and over.

I'm unlocked but not rooted. I installed Franko kernel but need to be rooted to use his app. I'm trying to figure out root yet stay stock for now.
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

b4u2 said:
I'm unlocked but not rooted. I installed Franko kernel but need to be rooted to use his app. I'm trying to figure out root yet stay stock for now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So you want to root it now so you can use his app? Second to the last post in the thread below.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/pixel/help/stupidly-bootloop-help-t3554242/page2

TonikJDK said:
So you want to root it now so you can use his app? Second to the last post in the thread below.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/pixel/help/stupidly-bootloop-help-t3554242/page2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes and thank you very much!