If you are rooted and unlocked can you accept the update notification? - Google Pixel 2 XL Questions & Answers

I haven't been offered it yet, but I know it's coming so wanted to ask, trying to stay on the official channel.
If you accept the update will I lose root and have to re-root?
I'm out of practice since the Nexus 6P tether worked out of the box.
Thanks in advance!

wonderrx said:
I haven't been offered it yet, but I know it's coming so wanted to ask, trying to stay on the official channel.
If you accept the update will I lose root and have to re-root?
I'm out of practice since the Nexus 6P tether worked out of the box.
Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The OTA probably won't work because when you root with Magisk you flash a modified boot image. Process would be as follows before taking the OTA.
Flash stock boot image from the Image Version you are currently on (i.e. Flash the October Boot Image)
Reboot
Take OTA
Re-root using Magisk using the November Boot image to patch
add tethering line to build.prop or get the Magisk Module
Profit
You would need to repeat this for each monthly update to keep root.

I had always thought this was the best way to install OTAs. Someone correct me if I'm wrong?
https://github.com/topjohnwu/Magisk/blob/master/docs/tips.md#ota-installation-tips

Cowbell_Guy said:
I had always thought this was the best way to install OTAs. Someone correct me if I'm wrong?
https://github.com/topjohnwu/Magisk/blob/master/docs/tips.md#ota-installation-tips
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Normally yes but I'm not sure if the partition structure is identical on the new Pixels but you could always try @topjohnwu 's method and report back.

I didn't think you could do an OTA with an unlocked bootloader, is that true? If so, topjohnwu's method wouldn't work anyway.

Related

[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.

After rooting, will the OTA work?

I am sorry if this question is answered already, but is there any way one can get the OTA again once the device is rooted? I mean by unroofing and factory reset or whatever means....
After rooting, OTA is still working but you'll probably lose root after it, excepted if your Superuser has an " OTA Survival " feature. In this case, you'll have to flash a stock ROM, and root it.
Sent from my Nexus 7
azvlean said:
After rooting, OTA is still working but you'll probably lose root after it, excepted if your Superuser has an " OTA Survival " feature. In this case, you'll have to flash a stock ROM, and root it.
Sent from my Nexus 7
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
be careful if you have a custom recovery, accepting an OTA might screw your device up.
sk8trix said:
be careful if you have a custom recovery, accepting an OTA might screw your device up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for replying.
Will the custom recovery be overridden by the stock one? Or is there any chance of bricking the device?
sriram18981 said:
Thanks for replying.
Will the custom recovery be overridden by the stock one? Or is there any chance of bricking the device?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
no sometimes what happens is the files dont install and you either get a reboot screen or some sort of black screen and then you might need to fix things with a toolkit through the pc or some hard kind of fix, t happened to me on a motorola Atrix a while back.
sriram18981 said:
I am sorry if this question is answered already, but is there any way one can get the OTA again once the device is rooted? I mean by unroofing and factory reset or whatever means....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If your phone or tablet is rooted but with Stock Recovery the OTA should work just fine as long as you haven't modified any system files that get updated through the OTA. The bigger the update is the more likely it is you will lose root and that the OTA will find modified files. On Nexus devices I've personally never seen more than an error message if the OTA fails. At most I've only ever seen "unexpected contents in" error with whatever (modified) file is the problem. The OTA will always fail if you have a custom recovery but it's not really a big deal, you can always flash the OTA update zip in your custom recovery (TWRP?), more often than not before the OTA even rolls out to your device you can find the OTA zip here or on another website.

[Updating Pixel XL] After unlocked bootloader and rooted

So some might remember me awhile back ago... https://forum.xda-developers.com/pixel-xl/help/unlocking-verizon-bootloader-t3557290
I got tired of not having a unlocked/rooted device since I just dropped so much money on a new phone for my 27th bday sooo I took it back to verizon and swapped it for a new one. I was having the battery problems where my phone would hit 30-15% and just die on me OR the screen would die on me but the phone stayed on no problems.. I'd be in a phone call and the screen would shut off and I couldnt get it to turn back on without plugging in a charger or battery bank.
I've got my new phone now and everything is working flawlessly.. It's unlocked, has twrp installed and rooted just fine..
Now I remember seeing something about once I unlock/root the device my OTA becomes disabled so where do I get the OTA update for the device so I can go to 7.1.1 or later this month 7.1.2? I found this https://developers.google.com/android/ota and I see the 7.1.1 update but it's 800mbs which means I'm guessing if I flash that i'd be completely reinstalling a new copy of android and lose all of my data and have to go through setting up my phone again etc..
How do I just get the update itself and flash that? When I use the OTA on my Pixel XL the download is only like 200MB it doesn't install though just says it failed. Still new to all of this but I'm learning and how else am I gonna learn if I don't ask questions
a point in the right direction would be great.
https://developers.google.com/android/images
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
---------- Post added at 07:23 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:22 PM ----------
Point point
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
wyrdtrtle said:
https://developers.google.com/android/images
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
---------- Post added at 07:23 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:22 PM ----------
Point point
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
These images are even bigger than the ones I linked.. the 7.1.1 update is 1.8GB? the file I'm downloading via my Phone is 282.1 MB?
[QUOTE=
If you go to that link in the post above you can download the newest firmware. Unzip it and open the bat file with note editor or something like that and remove the -w and it will update without losing your data.
Dimmizer said:
These images are even bigger than the ones I linked.. the 7.1.1 update is 1.8GB? the file I'm downloading via my Phone is 282.1 MB?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You use your original link and sideload it with TWRP.
TonikJDK said:
You use your original link and sideload it with TWRP.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks
Upper left corner Link to OTA's smaller
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
Now one last question...
From official TWRP webpage it says
Never try official ota updates using TWRP. Its not recommended. should I wait to update to 7.1.1 or flash? any pros/cons?
Thanks for all the help and ansrewing of questions so far
Edit: should I unroot and try to OTA again and if it works just reroot the device?
Dimmizer said:
Now one last question...
From official TWRP webpage it says
Never try official ota updates using TWRP. Its not recommended. should I wait to update to 7.1.1 or flash? any pros/cons?
Thanks for all the help and ansrewing of questions so far
Edit: should I unroot and try to OTA again and if it works just reroot the device?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are unlocked, so the only danger here is that you bootloop and lose your data. Make sure your data is backed up and sideload the ota with the directions on googles ota page and re install TWRP.
That's the easiest way and pretty darn safe. I dont recall seeing anyone having trouble with that.
Looking at unrooting my device so I can do OTA updates via the phone and then I'll just reroot again but during the unroot process it says
Attempt to restore stock boot image? This is require for OTA's to succeed. If you manually decrypted your device, note that this might prevent my device from booting.
How do I know if I manually decrypted it? I used depixel8 to unlock bootloader and used SuperSU to root so am I safe to proceed or should I not attempt to restore a stock boot image?
Dimmizer said:
Looking at unrooting my device so I can do OTA updates via the phone and then I'll just reroot again but during the unroot process it says
Attempt to restore stock boot image? This is require for OTA's to succeed. If you manually decrypted your device, note that this might prevent my device from booting.
How do I know if I manually decrypted it? I used depixel8 to unlock bootloader and used SuperSU to root so am I safe to proceed or should I not attempt to restore a stock boot image?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You did not decrypt it. That isn't currently doable.
TonikJDK said:
You are unlocked, so the only danger here is that you bootloop and lose your data. Make sure your data is backed up and sideload the ota with the directions on googles ota page and re install TWRP.
That's the easiest way and pretty darn safe. I dont recall seeing anyone having trouble with that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Doing what you said now
[
Dimmizer said:
Looking at unrooting my device so I can do OTA updates via the phone and then I'll just reroot again but during the unroot process it says
Attempt to restore stock boot image? This is require for OTA's to succeed. If you manually decrypted your device, note that this might prevent my device from booting.
How do I know if I manually decrypted it? I used depixel8 to unlock bootloader and used SuperSU to root so am I safe to proceed or should I not attempt to restore a stock boot image?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wouldn't unroot with that, doesn't work all the time just flash the newest firmware and you will be unrooted. You are going to have a bad time if you do.
mk so another question..
https://twrp.me/faq/officialota.html
twrp says NOT to flash ota with twrp? so should I flash back to a stock recovery or just use twrp? if so how? lol
https://developers.google.com/android/ota
The google site explains what to do but I'm assuming it's explaining things as if I had a stock recovery and I don't..
lol... I know this isn't that hard and I'm just being paranoid cause I don't wanna brick my phone etc. but also it's like ALLLL this work just so I can flash new android update to my phone... and this whole thing seems to be taking longer than it really needs to.
Dimmizer said:
lol... I know this isn't that hard and I'm just being paranoid cause I don't wanna brick my phone etc. but also it's like ALLLL this work just so I can flash new android update to my phone... and this whole thing seems to be taking longer than it really needs to.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hit the link below, it explains it well and you will see it worked for others.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/pixel-xl/help/rooted-twrp-recovery-how-update-ota-t3524279
If you ever bootloop don't freak, its an unlocked google phone. Flashing back to stock is easy.
The only thing that was in question was the bootloader unlock, once its unlocked your safe. It wont relock unless you lock it. But, if you do lock it, its locked for good. Afaika
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
Dimmizer said:
lol... I know this isn't that hard and I'm just being paranoid cause I don't wanna brick my phone etc. but also it's like ALLLL this work just so I can flash new android update to my phone... and this whole thing seems to be taking longer than it really needs to.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dimmizer said:
mk so another question..
https://twrp.me/faq/officialota.html
twrp says NOT to flash ota with twrp? so should I flash back to a stock recovery or just use twrp? if so how? lol
https://developers.google.com/android/ota
The google site explains what to do but I'm assuming it's explaining things as if I had a stock recovery and I don't..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I flashed OTA with twrp on my buddy's pixel for the Feb update worked just fine. Just make sure it's the OTA and not the factory image. But the best way would be using fastboot
Most anything you flash (stock updates, custom roms, will overwrite recovery. But not a problem, you just re-boot it to flash it, or just boot it and flash su and reboot device.
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
awesome , thanks again everyone for your time and the help, very much greatly appreciated.

Flash stock over rooted to get OTA

I wonder is it possible to flash stock unrooted OOS over rooted OOS in order to install small OTAs. After updates plan to root again. Does anyone know whether this is possible or not? And, any side effects could occur?
I search over internet and couldn't find any useful info about this.
Thanks in advance.
Technically you'll be updating your device by flashing the newest stock anyway. No need for OTAs. You can then re-root.
GTRanushka said:
I wonder is it possible to flash stock unrooted OOS over rooted OOS in order to install small OTAs. After updates plan to root again. Does anyone know whether this is possible or not? And, any side effects could occur?
I search over internet and couldn't find any useful info about this.
Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, sounds doable
ABotelho23 said:
Technically you'll be updating your device by flashing the newest stock anyway. No need for OTAs. You can then re-root.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not what i meant. Let's say I'm on rooted OB18. But i want to update it to OB19. all i have is OB18 stock firmware. So, can i flash OB18 over rooted OB18 and then update it to OB19 (ota). Then re-root.
The reason I'm asking this is i have a very limited data internet connection. So i can save GBs if this is doable.
XDRdaniel said:
Yes, sounds doable
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah. Well.. I'm gonna try this out myself. Thanks! :highfive:
GTRanushka said:
Not what i meant. Let's say I'm on rooted OB18. But i want to update it to OB19. all i have is OB18 stock firmware. So, can i flash OB18 over rooted OB18 and then update it to OB19 (ota). Then re-root.
The reason I'm asking this is i have a very limited data internet connection. So i can save GBs if this is doable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Plan to keep a copy of OB18 around? If so, then yea absolutely it should work. Root will either modify your system or your kernel depending on the method, which both get overwritten if you flash stock.
Issue you'll probably end up having in the future though is that if you always use OB18, when it comes time to install OB20, you'll be downgrading without a wipe, which I don't think is a great idea.
GTRanushka said:
I wonder is it possible to flash stock unrooted OOS over rooted OOS in order to install small OTAs. After updates plan to root again. Does anyone know whether this is possible or not? And, any side effects could occur?
I search over internet and couldn't find any useful info about this.
Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No you can't.
Because OTA will fail for "partition mismatching": the systemless root alters only but anyhow the /boot partition.
You must update with FOTA (Full OTAs), doesn't matter you're using stock or TWRP recovery.
The OxygenOS built-in updater should detects your system as modified and download only FOTAs.
Simone98RC said:
No you can't.
Because OTA will fail for "partition mismatching": the systemless root alters only but anyhow the /boot partition.
You must update with FOTA (Full OTAs), doesn't matter you're using stock or TWRP recovery.
The OxygenOS built-in updater should detects your system as modified and download only FOTAs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Let's say he has open beta 18, rooted and twrp installed, if he flashes ob18 again over it, this will get rid both of the root and twrp, resulting in an untouched system, therefore, ota after this will be possible. He can then flash back twrp and root the device
XDRdaniel said:
Let's say he has open beta 18, rooted and twrp installed, if he flashes ob18 again over it, this will get rid both of the root and twrp, resulting in an untouched system, therefore, ota after this will be possible. He can then flash back twrp and root the device
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But practically speaking, it's crazy to unroot system only for OTA.
It would be more reliable to download FOTAs on rooted system.
Then, if @GTRanushka is running Magisk (MagiskSU) as root method, it could be working even after firmware update.
Because of its systemless nature.
Simone98RC said:
But practically speaking, it's crazy to unroot system only for OTA.
It would be more reliable to download FOTAs on rooted system.
Then, if @GTRanushka is running Magisk (MagiskSU) as root method, it could be working even after firmware update.
Because of its systemless nature.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This would be weird because I always had to flash magisk after a ota update..
GTRanushka said:
I wonder is it possible to flash stock unrooted OOS over rooted OOS in order to install small OTAs. After updates plan to root again. Does anyone know whether this is possible or not? And, any side effects could occur?
I search over internet and couldn't find any useful info about this.
Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In order to flash OTAS has to have stock rom but also recovery stock and bootloader blocked but not installed the OTAS otherwise it tells you that you have something modified and you have to download the complete rom. (That does not suit you)
ajnexus5 said:
In order to flash OTAS has to have stock rom but also recovery stock and bootloader blocked but not installed the OTAS otherwise it tells you that you have something modified and you have to download the complete rom. (That does not suit you)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You don't need a locked bootloader for OTA just have to flash stock full ROM zip and stock recovery then you're good to go
Simone98RC said:
But practically speaking, it's crazy to unroot system only for OTA.
It would be more reliable to download FOTAs on rooted system.
Then, if @GTRanushka is running Magisk (MagiskSU) as root method, it could be working even after firmware update.
Because of its systemless nature.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why i try to unroot and do OTAs is the much less download size compared to FOTAs.
Renosh said:
You don't need a locked bootloader for OTA just have to flash stock full ROM zip and stock recovery then you're good to go
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tried it with the bootloader open and I did not think that something is not right that it has to download complete the rom.:

Ota update for pixel 2 xl with magisk and twrp already installed

I am sure this has been asked and answered 100 times but for the life of me I can't find a definite answer. I have a Pixel 2 XL and it is rooted and I have Magisk and TWRP installed on it. I want to be able to install the OTA for this month, but I do not want to lose anything on the phone. I also would rather not lose Magisk or TWRP. Normally on my android phones I use ROMs and can just update through TWRP, but I want to stay on stock because I don't want to lose Active Edge. So can someone please help me by giving me step by step instructions or point me to instructions that are simple to follow so I can take the OTA?
I really appreciate the help.
I was having the same problem and was helped by some of the members here.. Best way is to flash the firmware after removing the -w from the flash all file. Then flash twrp and magisk.
Ota
Thanks for your help. I will try that.
magicmaker said:
Thanks for your help. I will try that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here's a quick little guide I made for updating monthly factory images. Hopefully it'll help you out :good:
Sorta related...
Are there any ROMS that come rooted so I don't have to go through the monthly process of backup/unroot/update/root/restore?
Would love to just flash a ROM update and be done.
rank78 said:
Sorta related...
Are there any ROMS that come rooted so I don't have to go through the monthly process of backup/unroot/update/root/restore?
Would love to just flash a ROM update and be done.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not that I'm aware of, but maybe some on the horizon...
Badger50 said:
Here's a quick little guide I made for updating monthly factory images. Hopefully it'll help you out :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, quick question
I am only able to do them steps above if I have done 'fastboot unlock_critical'? I have only done 'fastboot unlock'
Also I would need to boot into TWRP and flash a kernel + magisk to retain root?
You have to issue the "fastboot unlock_critical" command in order for the bootloader to update, since the bootloader is included in both factory images and full OTAs. Speaking of full OTA's, one of our recognized developers, @elliwigy, revealed (thread here) that it is possible to flash a full OTA image through TWRP, which eliminates the need to open the factory image and remove the -w flag from the last line. Flashing the OTA works because TWRP doesn't check signatures like the stock recovery. You will lose both root and TWRP upon reboot however, so you will still need to connect to a PC in order to reinstall TWRP so you can subsequently replace the stock Kernel with the Flash Kernel and then root.
I can verify this works, as I tried it with the May update.

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