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.

Questions about rooting / recoveries ...

Hello
Since this will be my first nexus device , I have some questions regarding rooting and recoveries and what they affect on nexus devices specifically this nexus.
What affects the ability to receive official google updates?
If you are rooted do you always loose root if a new update comes? Does root affect the ability to receive updates?
If you have a custom recovery is it possible to receive official updates from google?
Thanks
Sent from my A500 using Tapatalk

I also have one quick question about rooting. I am totally new to this, I used android on my HD2 but it was always SD card version.
Does rooting affect warranty? I don't think it matters, but I'm with O2.

Official Updates
I think you can, however if you do you can lose root
Custom Recovery
Yes its possible. I believe koush is working on a stable CWM
Warranty
Yes, you will lose it and the Nexus will tell you before it lets you confirm you want to do it.
Im currently trying to get my Nexus back to unrooted status so I can send it back and get it on PAYG. I'll write up a tutorial once I've figured it out

TulpiX said:
Hello
Since this will be my first nexus device , I have some questions regarding rooting and recoveries and what they affect on nexus devices specifically this nexus.
What affects the ability to receive official google updates?
If you are rooted do you always loose root if a new update comes? Does root affect the ability to receive updates?
If you have a custom recovery is it possible to receive official updates from google?
Thanks
Sent from my A500 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. Rooting your device wont affect your ability to receive updates, Custom ROMs do.
2. when you receive a new OTA you WILL lose root, this is the reason custom ROMs dont accept OTA updates.
3 As far as custom recoveries, I dont think that affects your ability to receive updates, Even then you can still flash an official update.zip via a custom recovery.
rokfor2000 said:
I also have one quick question about rooting. I am totally new to this, I used android on my HD2 but it was always SD card version.
Does rooting affect warranty? I don't think it matters, but I'm with O2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. Eh grey area. Rooting doesnt void your warranty, but unlocking the bootloader does. As of yet there is no way to re-lock the bootloader.

slowz3r said:
1. Rooting your device wont affect your ability to receive updates, Custom ROMs do.
2. when you receive a new OTA you WILL lose root, this is the reason custom ROMs dont accept OTA updates.
3 As far as custom recoveries, I dont think that affects your ability to receive updates, Even then you can still flash an official update.zip via a custom recovery.
1. Eh grey area. Rooting doesnt void your warranty, but unlocking the bootloader does. As of yet there is no way to re-lock the bootloader.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
fastboot oem lock does

Evostance said:
fastboot oem lock does
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Click to collapse
does it actually re lock your bootloader..... its been a while since I last used my NS, Since i switched to VZW
If thats the case then dont worry about warranty

Apparently it's works. But I think I've bricked my phone flashing a system.img...
Sent from my iPad 2 using Tapatalk

Ok thanks
I thought ota updates would also sometimes update stock recovery which would fail with custom recoveries and therefore no ota updates then.
So i was mistaken there?
Sent from my A500 using Tapatalk

So to be clear. I could do the following:
Get my phone
Unlock bootloader
Root it
Install cwm recovery
And this would NOT affect my ability to get ota updates?

TulpiX said:
So to be clear. I could do the following:
Get my phone
Unlock bootloader
Root it
Install cwm recovery
And this would NOT affect my ability to get ota updates?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
pretty much, but remember an OTA will remove root/recovery

TulpiX said:
So to be clear. I could do the following:
Get my phone
Unlock bootloader
Root it
Install cwm recovery
And this would NOT affect my ability to get ota updates?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You will get ota updates but it will not install it coz the cmw recovery, then you will need to update your rom that incloded the update via cmw recovery

Hmm ok
So you loose recovery too? I thought you would only loose root?
But arent the last two posts exact opposites? One says you would get ota and it would install but you would loose root and recovery and the other says you would get ota but cannot install it. Or am i missing some point here?

liorra3 said:
You will get ota updates but it will not install it coz the cmw recovery, then you will need to update your rom that incloded the update via cmw recovery
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OTA updates install fine with CWM and have for some time. The only reason it would fail is if it is trying to patch recovery and does an assert.
TulpiX said:
Hmm ok
So you loose recovery too? I thought you would only loose root?
But arent the last two posts exact opposites? One says you would get ota and it would install but you would loose root and recovery and the other says you would get ota but cannot install it. Or am i missing some point here?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You will lose root on incremental updates only because it does a recursive chmod on /system - so it just changes the permissions on the su binary.
You will lose your custom recovery because it will restore /etc/install-recovery.sh which restores the stock recovery on boot.

not to smash your topic to bits but SINCE WHEN has an ota update been available before aosp code? Welcome to nexus device people running stock is for chumps you won't need ota updates because you will already be on a custom rom that has it
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App

Goat_For_Sale said:
not to smash your topic to bits but SINCE WHEN has an ota update been available before aosp code?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Froyo source did not push to AOSP until after the OTA to the Nexus One.
Slightly different but also held from AOSP until out on a device:
Eclair (2.1) was not in AOSP in a form that would build for a device until post Nexus One being available.
Gingerbread did not push to AOSP until after the Nexus S was available.
The other hold up is when new binaries are needed for the build. The early AOSP Gingerbread builds for the Nexus One were BUGGY.
The ICS builds for the Nexus S needed some "shady, leaked" binaries to get things up and running well (wifi, bluetooth, GPS, etc).
Typically the new binaries are not posted until it OTA's.
Goat_For_Sale said:
Welcome to nexus device people running stock is for chumps you won't need ota updates because you will already be on a custom from that has it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can say this all you want - I've run stock rooted roms on both the Nexus One and the Nexus S without any issues. The Nexus S forums are filled with people with issues with spontaneous reboots, poor battery life, FC's and 95% of the time it tracks back to a custom kernel that has been "tweaked" or the ROM they are running.
If you are looking for the added features of some custom roms then go for it. But thus far pure AOSP builds have been anything but "for chumps" with the Nexus One and Nexus S.

krohnjw said:
If you are looking for the added features of some custom roms then go for it. But thus far pure AOSP builds have been anything but "for chumps" with the Nexus One and Nexus S.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm pretty sure but "custom roms" he also included builds made from AOSP. The point is that AOSP is often newer between bigger releases and the times an OTA build is newer you could always just flash that if you really want.

Ok thank you guys
I learnt much from this
So in fact if i go cwm and root my best option is to forget ota and go custom rom. Even if its a stock + root custom rom.
Sent from my A500 using Tapatalk

TulpiX said:
Hello
Since this will be my first nexus device , I have some questions regarding rooting and recoveries and what they affect on nexus devices specifically this nexus.
What affects the ability to receive official google updates?
If you are rooted do you always loose root if a new update comes? Does root affect the ability to receive updates?
If you have a custom recovery is it possible to receive official updates from google?
Thanks
Sent from my A500 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can't receive OTA when your device is rooted. Why? Every OTA checks system consistence. If some different files or the same files with different checksums will be detected, OTA will be canceled.

[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.
Click to expand...
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?
Click to expand...
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?
Click to expand...
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.

Q re unlocking, rooting and OTA updates

Hey all just wanted to clarify something before venturing forward.
1) Unlocking without rooting will still enable OTA updates to be pushed to my yakju GN?
2) Rooting will disable future OTA updates thus requiring manual ROM updates? Each manual update will thus wipe the device and require manual backup and restore of data and apps?
3) What is the reason to unlock the bootloader without rooting? It sees most things like customising boot screen animation, changing icons and using a firewall requires root not just unlock.

Bump! 10cghar.

lazerin said:
Hey all just wanted to clarify something before venturing forward.
1) Unlocking without rooting will still enable OTA updates to be pushed to my yakju GN?
2) Rooting will disable future OTA updates thus requiring manual ROM updates? Each manual update will thus wipe the device and require manual backup and restore of data and apps?
3) What is the reason to unlock the bootloader without rooting? It sees most things like customising boot screen animation, changing icons and using a firewall requires root not just unlock.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. Yes
2. Rooting will not affect OTA updates. If you make any changes to anything outside /sdcard/ it'll cause problems. Manual update will not wipe the device.
3. Unlock bootloader + no root.... this way you can root afterwards if you decide to root and then backup your apps/data.
If you don't unlock.. then one day you decide to root, and you unlock bootloader you lose everything and can't back it up.
You can't change boot animations without root.

As well, unlocking the bootloader allows you to use fastboot commands, which you would otherwise not be able to use.

After rooting are we supposed to lock the bootloader back again? What is the reason for locking it again? Is it to prevent malicious apps from messing with it or unintentional modification?
If after rooting, I locked the bootloader back, can I still install other ROMs and multi boot other ROMs?

I would highly recommend you leave it unlocked. If you lock it, you will lose your data the next time you have to unlock.
Also, having it unlocked allows you to use fastboot commands.
There is no good reason to lock it.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

hmm that sucks. I relocked the bootloader because that's what some tutorials said to do.

kwurky said:
hmm that sucks. I relocked the bootloader because that's what some tutorials said to do.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Who was advising that? In any case, if you're already rooted, you can do a full nandroid backup. You could also download TiBackup and back up all your apps and data. Either way, you have something to fall back on when unlock wipes the phone.

Hmm more than one tutorial I read added that step. Even one on xda. I'm not going to go find it now. Anyways it will be a hassle, that's all, nothing I can't handle. I already have Titanium Backup paid version so my apps and data are covered. I don't think I can do a Nandroid backup though because I encrypted all the data on the phone. When rebooting into CWM, it gives me an error when trying to do Nandroid backup. Says it can't access sdcard.

if I unlock, keep stock recovery and stock ICS and root...
Can I still receive OTA updates if I do things like change boot animation, change the default launcher, use samba filesharing?
Thanks guys

garpunkal said:
if I unlock, keep stock recovery and stock ICS and root...
Can I still receive OTA updates if I do things like change boot animation, change the default launcher, use samba filesharing?
Thanks guys
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Changing the default launcher (as long as you don't delete the original launcher), and using samba will cause no issues. Changing the boot animation may cause you an issue, but just back up the original file before you replace it, so you have a copy just in case.

what about using adaway (as it changes hosts file)...

garpunkal said:
what about using adaway (as it changes hosts file)...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not an issue.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

what about busybox?

garpunkal said:
what about busybox?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, it won't affect anything. Adding files to the ROM doesn't affect it. What does affect the OTA update is deleting or modifying existing files.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

[Q] Question about root and updates

Lets say I want to update to a new version (Android L) when Samsung (if they ever bother) deploy it, I want to know if OTA will still work? I am only going to remove bloatware not flash any other rom.
Add to this I can't boot on download mode... it keeps looping the boot screen.
Thanks in advance.

AFAIK OTA doesn't work once you have rooted

killall said:
AFAIK OTA doesn't work once you have rooted
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's not entirely true. Specifically rooting does not block an OTA but usually you'll loose root when an OTA is applied. SuperSU includes a method to preserve root through an OTA. The reason most OTAs cannot be applied after rooting is because they check specific apps and if any have been tampered with or are missing the OTA aborts. Of course most of the reasons that you root is to "tamper" with the stock ROM so it's a catch 22 situation. You could root then add an app for some specific functionality and still apply an OTA.
Sent from my Nexus 10 using XDA Premium HD app