Develop Bugs

[Solved] Installing OTA with S-Off and Root

Update: Well, I took the plunge on my own, and everything worked fine. Flashed firmware.zip, went to stock recovery and flashed OTA, and voila, all good.
So I've bought an HTC device for the first time. I did S-Off and unlocked bootloader and rooted as well. Now, there's an OTA available (I have the Asia_India variant), and I wanted to ask just how would I go about updating.
Here's what I've surmised till now:
1. Revert changes to system partition or it will fail to update (I moved some system APKs, but I saved them for such a scenario.)
2. Flash Firmware.zip to get stock recovery back.
3. Install OTA normally from the notification.
However, I'm still not sure what else I'd need to do (unroot, using the option in SuperSU?), so was wondering if someone could help me out. I've made backups in Philz and TWRP recovery both just to be sure.
P.S.: I extracted the firmware.zip file from the OTA, and tried to open it, but it doesn't open in apps like WinRAR. Is that normal, with the file only flashable via fastboot?

Personally, I'd say remove root just incase it stops the OTA but others will say it doesn't matter so long as the rest of the system is 100% stock as HTC intended it

For OTA updates after having a custom recovery, just flash your ROM stock recovery (search XDA all are available) then run OTA as you normally would and then flash your custom recovery again (if you like to get root again). However personally I would not do this with S-ON device, probably it's better if you're S-OFF while doing this to avoid any problem.

I am also interested in this. What would be the risk if I do this with S-ON? Assume I flash the wrong stock recovery or do some other mistake, won't I still be able to flash my custom recovery back from fastboot and get everything back up and running?
Thanks to whom will answer. :good:

Black Antitoon said:
I am also interested in this. What would be the risk if I do this with S-ON? Assume I flash the wrong stock recovery or do some other mistake, won't I still be able to flash my custom recovery back from fastboot and get everything back up and running?
Thanks to whom will answer. :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So long as the phone still boots to fastboot, yes (although unlocking the boot loader will delete any backups so make sure you backup the backup to your PC before doing anything else!)

Thank you for your answer. As far as you know, being S-ON, is there really any kind of mistake one can do to brick the phone so that it doesn't even boot to fastboot?
Also, if my bootloader is already unlocked, no data wipe is going to happen again flashing a firmware/OTA in any predictable case, right?
Once again, thank you or anybody else who knows the answer.
By the way, are there any FAQs answering these questions? There are some FAQs here and there, but none seems to be very clear on these matters.

Black Antitoon said:
Thank you for your answer. As far as you know, being S-ON, is there really any kind of mistake one can do to brick the phone so that it doesn't even boot to fastboot?
Also, if my bootloader is already unlocked, no data wipe is going to happen again flashing a firmware/OTA in any predictable case, right?
Once again, thank you or anybody else who knows the answer.
By the way, are there any FAQs answering these questions? There are some FAQs here and there, but none seems to be very clear on these matters.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're S-ON there's not a lot you can do to brick the phone. You could wipe the ROM and have it not boot but you should always be able to get back to fastboot. This is where S-OFF is only handy to have if RUUs are about (it's the ONLY reason I am S-OFF, it's purely for a 'going back to stock' standpoint)
Yes, if the bootloader is already unlocked then you're good to go

[Q] Is this a soft brick?

Hey guys, first post here and I couldn't find a good thread title. Hope that's not a problem
Anyways I need a little help with my m8, because I don't know what else to do.
I'll start from the beginning:
It's a One m8, bought from O2 Germany a few months ago. There were no O2 apps installed as I bought it, though.
I unlocked the bootloader, rooted the phone, flashed the TWRP recovery and the Venom m8 ROM. It was S-On over the whole time. Tried to make it S-OFF with the help of firewater but it didn't worked, so I didn't tried it anymore.
I just wanted to flash the newest Venom ROM, but to do so, I had to flash the newest firmware (Kitkat 4.4, have 4.2 right now)
So I relocked the bootloader, because that's what people on the internet said you have to do, to flash the newest stock firmware. After that I wanted to go back to Venom m8.
After relocking the bootloader, I rebooted the phone, and now I'm stuck in there. But in the fastboot mode.
Tried to enter the recovery -> can't access it
Tried to make a factory reset -> didn't worked
Everytime klick on recovery or factory reset, the phone reboots and comes back into fastboot.
Normaly you boot into hboot I think.
At the top of the screen stands:
***TAMPERED***
***RELOCKED***
***Security Warning***
I've seen the first two the whole time, but the third one is new :/
Here are the things I tried until now:
Flashing a stock ROM (it was a OTA_m8_O2___102...) I could try to find the actual link, if that helps.
Flashing a custom recovery (tried TWRP, after that CWM) Yea I already have custom recovery, but I tought it might help somehow.
Erased fastboot cache
None of these things worked. Fastboot is the only thing that works.
So my question now is, if anyone of you guys got any other idea how to solve that problem?
I really would appreciate any help.
If you need some more informations about the phone, just let me know. I guess there's missing some important informations
Sorry for the long text and if I misspelled something
EDIT: I just remembered that the flashing of TWRP or CWM didn't worked. It said FAILED: signature verify fail
Flashing of the Stock ROM worked I guess. There was the silver HTC logo on the phone. Then I flashed it in fastboot mode.
I tried to find this RUU software, but I couldn't find it :/
And "adb" in cmd also not working. It says "device not found"

Have you tried unlocking it again ?
Sent from my HTC One_M8 using XDA Free mobile app
---------- Post added at 12:10 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:08 AM ----------
Oh, and what are your CID / MID / bootloader version / firmware version / etc. ?
Sent from my HTC One_M8 using XDA Free mobile app

You're bootloader needs to be unlocked, not re-locked. Go to HTC Dev to unlock in again, just like the first time. Then you can flash a recovery.

Like said above, phone HAS to have unlocked bootloader to flash custom ROMs and recovery(which is why you're getting FAILED: signature verify fail). Can't flash custom recovery/ROMs with a locked bootloader.
Go to HTCDev.com and unlock the bootloader like before, then head over to the collection of stock backups thread(in general section) download a nandroid backup for your device and restore it. After that you can flash back the stock recovery(also in the collection thread) and just do the OTA updates until you get to 4.4.4 to use the latest ViperROM.

SunShine don't work with a modifyed custom Rom like ViperS. I flashed ARHD (or stock Rom) and got S-Off with SunShine.
Firewater don't work at all anymore so you have to use SunShine and pay the 25$ it cost.

3fiddy said:
Hey guys, first post here and I couldn't find a good thread title. Hope that's not a problem
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its not a bad one. At least better than many thread titles that say things like "Need help". Which of course is obvious, since its a Q&A, help forum! At least you tried to classify your issue!
Although the question of whether its a "soft brick" is not a critical one. IMO the term "soft brick" really doesn't mean anything. It simply means the user just got himself into a jam and doesn't know how to recover. And recovering is usually just a matter of knowing the right simple steps. More important to whether its a "soft brick", is whether the phone is truly bricked or not. And as long as the screen comes on, this phone is virtually never bricked.
RUUs don't exist for Euro versions (only the US versions, as far as I know).
The bootloader needs to be UNLOCKED to flash anything. Either just use the previous unlock bin code and fastboot command, or go through HTCDev.com unlock process again (as previously suggested). Then flash custom recovery, and flash a custom ROM or restore a stock nandroid.

Hey guys, sorry for the late response.
I did what you all said and unlocked the bootloader again. And that was it.
After unlocking it everything works normal.
You guys are the best, I knew this is the right place to come
Even the Venom ROM is on the phone. Everything else is gone, but the ROM is there.
Alright but I still would like to get the newest firmware for the phone. Could you guys give me a little help with this?
What do I have to do first?
I read a lot about how to do this. But as you can see something still went wrong :/
On the phone is currently Android 4.4.2 and ViperOneM8 1.7.0
First thing I have to do is, to grab a Nandroid Backup with the stock ROM, right?
I did this before, but then I read somewhere that the bootloader has to be locked, or relocked to update the newest stock ROM/ the newest firmware.
So if anyone knows how to do this correctly, please let me know.
Also when I flashed the nandroid backup (my own backup from before I flashed venom) I tried to update the firmware, but it wanted to update the latest Venom update.
Is this considered as normal?
Bootloader version (Hboot) is 3.16.0.0... At least I think this is the right one.
@jkolner: Didn't know that firewater doesn't work anymore. How long is this?
@redpoint73: Thanks for the heads-up Also I didn't know that there are no RUUs for the european versions. Good to know that now.
Thank you all for your answers
EDIT: I just tried to enter the recovery and it worked as well.
Oh and when I wrote above that I flashed the stock nandroid backup and the phone wanted to update the latest venom update, I think it was because the rom was still the Venom Rom, right?
Sure it was a nanroid backup, but the ROM was not the stock ROM? Or am I mix-up something there?

3fiddy said:
Alright but I still would like to get the newest firmware for the phone.
I read somewhere that the bootloader has to be locked, or relocked to update the newest stock ROM/ the newest firmware.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It sounds like you are trying to return to stock, and install official OTA to update firmware. In that case, unlocked bootloader is OK for OTA (no need to relock). But you need stock ROM and stock recovery.
3fiddy said:
Also when I flashed the nandroid backup (my own backup from before I flashed venom) I tried to update the firmware, but it wanted to update the latest Venom update.
Is this considered as normal?
Oh and when I wrote above that I flashed the stock nandroid backup and the phone wanted to update the latest venom update, I think it was because the rom was still the Venom Rom, right?
Sure it was a nanroid backup, but the ROM was not the stock ROM? Or am I mix-up something there?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are mixing something up. The point of restoring a stock nandroid, is to return to the stock ROM. It sounds like your nandroid is made while on Viper ROM, not stock ROM. Either that, or the nandroid just didn't restore the ROM properly. Make sure "system" is checked on partitions to restore in recovery.
3fiddy said:
Bootloader version (Hboot) is 3.16.0.0... At least I think this is the right one.
Didn't know that firewater doesn't work anymore. How long is this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its been that way for months now. But your hboot version is old; so firewater might work, might not. Worth a few tries; as firewater is free and doesn't take long. If it still fails, you need to use sunshine to s-off.

redpoint73 said:
It sounds like you are trying to return to stock, and install official OTA to update firmware. In that case, unlocked bootloader is OK for OTA (no need to relock). But you need stock ROM and stock recovery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly this. Alright, then I read something wrong. I thought to flash the stock ROM you have to have a relocked bootloader.
I'll search a stock ROM and recovery. Hoperfully it will work.
redpoint73 said:
You are mixing something up. The point of restoring a stock nandroid, is to return to the stock ROM. It sounds like your nandroid is made while on Viper ROM, not stock ROM. Either that, or the nandroid just didn't restore the ROM properly. Make sure "system" is checked on partitions to restore in recovery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This could be it. I don't know if there was already the Venom ROM in use. Could be.
redpoint73 said:
Its been that way for months now. But your hboot version is old; so firewater might work, might not. Worth a few tries; as firewater is free and doesn't take long. If it still fails, you need to use sunshine to s-off.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay I'll try it with firewater again.
Thanks for your help
EDIT: After I flashed the Nadroid Backup, do I have to wipe something, like Dalvik or anything?

3fiddy said:
EDIT: After I flashed the Nadroid Backup, do I have to wipe something, like Dalvik or anything?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wipe Dalvik and cache when I flash anything.
Recovery will wipe system as it flashed the ROM. No need to do so manually.
If restoring a nandroid without data partition backed up, you may or may not have to wipe user data. It might not play well with the restored ROM, but it depends on what ROM you are coming from. If error occur, wipe data and restore again.
If you are restoring a nandroid with data partition backup, it will be wiped during restore. No need to do so manually.

Alright I flashed my own stock nandroid backup. Guess I just read something wrong because I thought it will get the latest Venom Update.
Then I downloaded and installed the latest updates. Now the phone has finally Android 4.4.
After everything went good, I flashed the twrp recovery, made a Backup, rooted the phone, did another backup and flashed the latest Venom ROM.
Before flashing something I wiped everything, like you said.
All is good now.
I think now I can totally forget to gain S-OFF with firewater. But I'll save the link to sunshine. Maybe I'll give it a try
Thanks again everyone, couldn't have done it without your help

Help! Restore to stock, lots of issues

I have a Htc One M8 ; s-off, hboot 3.16, running 4.4.2. CID is Roger001, unlocked boot
Problem I have is I'm trying to restore the phone to stock because I want to do OTA updates. I followed the guide to return Canadian HTC1m8 to stock - downloaded the nandroid backup, restored it, flashed a stock image through fastboot;
However, now if I try a OTA it just reboots my phone and normally stalls out on the HTC screen. Nothing gets updated . If i try a factory reset, same thing, and it won't boot into bootloader until I wait a while then restart it. My data won't work anymore and TWRP recovery has disappeared. I think my issue is i flashed the wrong recovery .img, I'm a fairly noob. Checked all the related links and can't figure it out.
Any help would be amazing.

Use an ruu For your phone to update your hboot and make your you flash to recovery partition for twrp

htcspark said:
Use an ruu For your phone to update your hboot and make your you flash to recovery partition for twrp
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would but
I can't find an ruu that would work, there doesn't seem to be one for rogers...I dunno if any US carriers would work?

htcspark said:
Use an ruu For your phone to update your hboot and make your you flash to recovery partition for twrp
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got an update to work, I think I had the wrong stock installed so it wouldn't work properly. Only thing now is my data isn't working, any assistance with that that could be??

Instead of trouble shooting, I would just flash this TWRP backup tested to work on Rogers M8:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=58611288
See end of 1st post in above link.
It is already in lollipop. No OTA update needed.
Use latest TWRP recovery, see 2nd post in above link.

[Q] 2.10.401.1 RUU.exe or how to get back to full Stock ROM

Hi Folks,
Well, I'm S-OFF and running ViperROM with 2.10.401.1 firmware (from sneakyghost thread) and TWRP Recovery on an international device with unlocked bootloader and SuperCID.
Now I want to play again with a full fresh and clean stock experience. How to accomplish this?
The easiest way would be to run a 2.10.401.1 RUU exe, but I couldn't find one. I guess it's not available and maybe never will be.
So, after reading threads I would assume the way I have to go is to run an 1.32 RUU exe and then I should get the 2.10 OTA
Is that right or do I have to relock the bootloader to get stock OTAs ? (Cos of S-OFF)
Hope you could help me out on that one and point me in the right direction.
Thx

You have to be 100% stock to get OTAs successfully. Since you're s-off, just running an earlier RUU exe should do it, but you may need to relock.
Under no circumstances should you go back to s-on.

DroidShift79 said:
Hi Folks,
Well, I'm S-OFF and running ViperROM with 2.10.401.1 firmware (from sneakyghost thread) and TWRP Recovery on an international device with unlocked bootloader and SuperCID.
Now I want to play again with a full fresh and clean stock experience. How to accomplish this?
The easiest way would be to run a 2.10.401.1 RUU exe, but I couldn't find one. I guess it's not available and maybe never will be.
So, after reading threads I would assume the way I have to go is to run an 1.32 RUU exe and then I should get the 2.10 OTA
Is that right or do I have to relock the bootloader to get stock OTAs ? (Cos of S-OFF)
Hope you could help me out on that one and point me in the right direction.
Thx
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi
Did you check this thread...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/one-m9/development/firmware-t3068243

MAX 404 said:
Hi
Did you check this thread...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/one-m9/development/firmware-t3068243
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, did that. But the full ZIP that is there doesn't touch the /system partition, so it's not the clean way I want to go.
THX anyway.

DroidShift79 said:
Yes, did that. But the full ZIP that is there doesn't touch the /system partition, so it's not the clean way I want to go.
THX anyway.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi
I see....guess the only way for now is as you point out earlier RUU and upgrade from there.
good luck

MAX 404 said:
Hi
I see....guess the only way for now is as you point out earlier RUU and upgrade from there.
good luck
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thought of this,
just not sure if I need to relock bootloader to get official otas

DroidShift79 said:
Thought of this,
just not sure if I need to relock bootloader to get official otas
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're S-OFF you don't need to relock to get OTAs. I converted my carrier handset to unbranded and received OTA updates after flashing a RUU without relocking.
Sent from my HTC One M9 using Tapatalk

THX kingvortex. I just do it and report back.
Thanks all of you.

DroidShift79 said:
Thought of this,
just not sure if I need to relock bootloader to get official otas
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
kingvortex said:
If you're S-OFF you don't need to relock to get OTAs. I converted my carrier handset to unbranded and received OTA updates after flashing a RUU without relocking.
Sent from my HTC One M9 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hi mates
I do not think S-OFF , S-ON or locked bootloaders are much of an issue to get OTA, check points 8, 9 and 10 from this thread
EDIT : kingvortex you are right oem locked is necessary with s-on
http://forum.xda-developers.com/one...ery-twrp-touch-recovery-t3066720/post59745198
8. How do I restore stock system so that I can accept an OTA?
Check the "Mount system as read-only" box in the Mount menu.
Restore stock "System Image" backup (This will only work if you've made a System Image backup prior to making any modifications to /system like root it). As of the official 2.8.6.1 version, it is no longer necessary to fastboot flash the stock system image.
NOTE: If you made a stock system backup with one of the Beta TWRP versions, you will have to rename the backup file in the backup folder manually from "system.emmc.win" to "system_image.emmc.win" for the new official TWRP to see it as a "System Image" backup rather than a "System" backup. Otherwise, you'll get an error that the backup can't be restored because system is read-only.
Fastboot flash stock recovery (fastboot flash recovery recovery_signed.img)
NOTE: It is also possible to restore stock recovery via the TWRP GUI. Rename the stock recovery file to "recovery.emmc.win" and place in the backup folder with the stock system image. Recovery will then show as a restore option. MAKE SURE YOU REALLY WANT TO DO THIS, AS TWRP WILL BE GONE WHEN YOU REBOOT OUT OF RECOVERY!!
Reboot to system, install OTA.
9. What if I have an RUU? Do I need to worry about all this OTA nonsense?
Not if you don't care about losing all your data. If you're S-ON and have an RUU available for your exact variant (model ID and CID must match) and software number (main version must be the same or newer), then you can get back to a fully stock state by relocking (fastboot oem lock) and flashing an RUU. However, if you'd prefer to take an OTA to keep your data intact, the method stated above is how to do so. Or, you can just run a custom ROM and wait for your ROM chef to update their ROM to the latest software (though you'll still have to find a way to update your firmware if you're not S-OFF)
10. After I go through all this and successfully apply an OTA, how do I make sure I have a clean starting point again?
After the OTA is applied and TWRP is flashed, it will once again detect an untouched system, which will mount system read-only and allow you to make a fully stock backup and start the process over again, this time with the new base.

Well, what I did so far, was to use the 1.32.401.17 ruu.exe
Flash went fine, but no OTA did show up.
So I wanted to flash the 1.32.401.8 ruu zip.
But putting it on sdcard or using fastboot flash zip failed.
Wonder why!?
Later on I'll try Max 404 find.
MAX 404 said:
hi mates
I do not think S-OFF , S-ON or locked bootloaders are much of an issue to get OTA, check points 8, 9 and 10 from this thread
EDIT : kingvortex you are right oem locked is necessary with s-on
http://forum.xda-developers.com/one...ery-twrp-touch-recovery-t3066720/post59745198
8. How do I restore stock system so that I can accept an OTA?
Check the "Mount system as read-only" box in the Mount menu.
Restore stock "System Image" backup (This will only work if you've made a System Image backup prior to making any modifications to /system like root it). As of the official 2.8.6.1 version, it is no longer necessary to fastboot flash the stock system image.
NOTE: If you made a stock system backup with one of the Beta TWRP versions, you will have to rename the backup file in the backup folder manually from "system.emmc.win" to "system_image.emmc.win" for the new official TWRP to see it as a "System Image" backup rather than a "System" backup. Otherwise, you'll get an error that the backup can't be restored because system is read-only.
Fastboot flash stock recovery (fastboot flash recovery recovery_signed.img)
NOTE: It is also possible to restore stock recovery via the TWRP GUI. Rename the stock recovery file to "recovery.emmc.win" and place in the backup folder with the stock system image. Recovery will then show as a restore option. MAKE SURE YOU REALLY WANT TO DO THIS, AS TWRP WILL BE GONE WHEN YOU REBOOT OUT OF RECOVERY!!
Reboot to system, install OTA.
9. What if I have an RUU? Do I need to worry about all this OTA nonsense?
Not if you don't care about losing all your data. If you're S-ON and have an RUU available for your exact variant (model ID and CID must match) and software number (main version must be the same or newer), then you can get back to a fully stock state by relocking (fastboot oem lock) and flashing an RUU. However, if you'd prefer to take an OTA to keep your data intact, the method stated above is how to do so. Or, you can just run a custom ROM and wait for your ROM chef to update their ROM to the latest software (though you'll still have to find a way to update your firmware if you're not S-OFF)
10. After I go through all this and successfully apply an OTA, how do I make sure I have a clean starting point again?
After the OTA is applied and TWRP is flashed, it will once again detect an untouched system, which will mount system read-only and allow you to make a fully stock backup and start the process over again, this time with the new base.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Can't load my rooted htc one m8 after OTA update

I had rooted htc one m8 with twrp. To be able to install OTA update I have flashed 4.20.531.4. It successfully loaded so I started update. However after reboot it did not go further than htc one sign on white screen. After that I tried following actions without any progress: flash twrp back, delete supersu, factory reset from both stock image and twrp, install previous builds. I can get to bootloader, but my pc does not see it throw windows explorer nor from htc sync manger. I'm stock and don't know what else can I do. Did I actually bricked my phone?

dr107 said:
Did I actually bricked my phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If the screen still comes on, no.
Did you install stock recovery before trying to OTA?

Yes I have installed stocked recovery from t mobile. I changed my cid to super cid. Could that course me a problem? And is there a possibility for me to use nandroid recovery?

dr107 said:
Yes I have installed stocked recovery from t mobile.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Make sure its the stock recovery corresponding to 4.20.531.4
dr107 said:
I changed my cid to super cid. Could that course me a problem?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Some folks have said SuperCID interferes with OTA; others contradict this. So I'm not sure.
dr107 said:
And is there a possibility for me to use nandroid recovery?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you mean restore a nandroid backup?
Yes, but it sounds like you already restored a stock 4.20.531.4 ROM, so I don't see how a nandroid backup would make a difference.
Are you trying to issue fastboot commands while in bootloader-fastboot mode? And no response?