(Discussion)Flashfire for OTA updates - Google Pixel 3 XL Questions & Answers

Sorry if this has been discussed elsewhere. I couldn't find anything about it specific to the pixel 3xl.
Has anyone tried Flashfire to install an OTA update?
I have it installed. It recognizes is an A/B partition device. I've seen that there are people that have done it on the pixel 2.
Just curious if anyone has given it a shot. If it was successful, what steps did they take?
Just looking to see if it's possible to take an OTA and maintain root with magisk using Flashfire.

I wouldnt mess with flashfire, it hasnt been updated in ages

I haven't had a chance to try it because my device doesn't get the OTA notifications right away and I get tired of waiting so I download and flash the factory image, but you could try topjonwu's OTA update instructions here: https://topjohnwu.github.io/Magisk/tutorials.html#ota-installation

Related

OTA Update? How shall I do it when rooted and unlocked?

So I have a Verizon Pixel XL that has been unlocked, TWRP alpha installed, and rooted....
How shall I update my build? Should I even update the build?
My goal is to have the latest update running on my system (manually flashing or OTA I don't care) with an unlocked rooted Pixel XL that can broadcast wifi natively.
I have everthing down except the update piece. Any advice?
You have TWRP and root? How is that working? I was reading that SuperSu needs an update to work with it. Also many people who have taken the OTA (or even flash full system image) are getting stuck in the bouncing balls boot loop. I would hold off on updating. No real major changes as of yet.
Twrp is working fine but I have nothing to flash to test...????
networx2002 said:
Twrp is working fine but I have nothing to flash to test...????
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah that is what I'm hinting at.... There is no updated ROM to work with TWRP yet that is updated to the latest Google Build
Root is working. I have twrp alpha 2. Root and elementalx 8 all installed. Although, im getting my daydream headset tomm. And when you install the app it tells you to check for updates. It says I have one. But if you look at the OTA updates NDE63 is the newest. Which im on. So I dn at this point. I guess i'll just roll with it for now. The dev that made purenexus that I ran on my nexus 6. Says hes working on it already and gets his on the 21st. So i'll just stick with what I have for now. I'm sure we'll see roms pretty soon
So, what is the proper/safe way to install an update without breaking anything? Losing root is not a concern since we can just reflash TWRP and SuperSU, but what's the process? Searching is not resulting in a guide that I can be 100% confident in.
I am rooted in my pixel XL. Can I accept OTA updates without losing root? If not, is there a developer/thread that has a safe update to flash? I am not on a custom ROM, I'm stock. Thanks
s1dest3pnate said:
So, what is the proper/safe way to install an update without breaking anything? Losing root is not a concern since we can just reflash TWRP and SuperSU, but what's the process? Searching is not resulting in a guide that I can be 100% confident in.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
jreink01 said:
I am rooted in my pixel XL. Can I accept OTA updates without losing root? If not, is there a developer/thread that has a safe update to flash? I am not on a custom ROM, I'm stock. Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hit Google's Android OTA page, the file and directions are there to ADB sideload it. You will have to reroot and install TWRP if tou want that.
What i did was download the latest factory image from here from there I used this guide on post two section 8, installed the latest update, restored from cloud back up logged into all my apps (important if you use snapchat), reinstalled TWRP + Root + ElementalX and i was good to go, might seem like a little bit of work, but I've done it so many times I can get it done quickly now.
DeathSentinels said:
What i did was download the latest factory image from here from there I used this guide on post two section 8, installed the latest update, restored from cloud back up logged into all my apps (important if you use snapchat), reinstalled TWRP + Root + ElementalX and i was good to go, might seem like a little bit of work, but I've done it so many times I can get it done quickly now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you edit the flash-all.bat file and take out the -w near the end you wont flash user data. So you can skip restoring your cloud backup and apps. Backup just to be safe though.
TonikJDK said:
Hit Google's Android OTA page, the file and directions are there to ADB sideload it. You will have to reroot and install TWRP if tou want that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have a few more questions. If I do this procedure, is there the possibility that I won't be able to reroot with each update? If I do reroot and reinstall TWRP, is that like a factory reset where I will lose all my data? Back years ago when I would flash Roms, you could install a update without having to factory reset each time, Is this possible with the pixel with being stock? I would love to get the updates each month but don't want to do it if each time I have to reroot, reinstall TWRP and having all my data wiped. Thanks
jreink01 said:
Have a few more questions. If I do this procedure, is there the possibility that I won't be able to reroot with each update? If I do reroot and reinstall TWRP, is that like a factory reset where I will lose all my data? Back years ago when I would flash Roms, you could install a update without having to factory reset each time, Is this possible with the pixel with being stock? I would love to get the updates each month but don't want to do it if each time I have to reroot, reinstall TWRP and having all my data wiped. Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, it won't stop you from re-rooting and it will not factory reset your phone. So each month you will not lose your data but you will have to reinstall TWRP and root.
TonikJDK said:
No, it won't stop you from re-rooting and it will not factory reset your phone. So each month you will not lose your data but you will have to reinstall TWRP and root.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK, thanks, that's good to know. When I lose root, will that mess with any of my apps that need root to work like titanium backup? Or will I just need to grant it user privileges again? I have never done this particular process before so I am a little weiry. Do you know of a step by step guide to do this? Sorry but I would feel more comfortable that way. Thanks for all you help and feedback, it's been years since I last went through the rooting, flashing process so, I guess I am being extra cautious. I have/am learning by the feedback you have given me.
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
I am rooted with TWRP RC1
i never sideloaded an OTA before, alway applied factory images. Too lazy, but tired of all the rework.
i folllowed,
https://9to5google.com/2016/12/05/how-to-sideload-android-7-1-1-nmf26o-onto-the-pixel/
no data loss.
just had to use fastboot to reinstall TWRP and reflash SUPERSU.
All is well.
If I choose to side load it, do I root and install TWRP the same way I did when I first did this, with ADB on my windows PC? And side loading will work with a new operating system (when it comes out) along with the monthly security updates? I just checked and my latest security update is from January. If I updated March's update, would that automatically have the February one with it?
---------- Post added at 02:10 AM ---------- Previous post was at 02:02 AM ----------
TonikJDK said:
Hit Google's Android OTA page, the file and directions are there to ADB sideload it. You will have to reroot and install TWRP if tou want that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I went to the Google page but all of the links are to 7.1.1 which I am currently on 7.1.2. Plus I am just looking for the security update that just dropped for March.
jreink01 said:
I went to the Google page but all of the links are to 7.1.1 which I am currently on 7.1.2. Plus I am just looking for the security update that just dropped for March.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, didn't know that.
You are on a different path. You wait on Google for updates. There might be, there might not be. Certainly 7.1.2 will go live and we will all be on the same path and then 7.1.2 will get monthly updates, but when that is we don't know.
So for now you stay where you are, or you flash back to 7.1.1. we can do that without data loss if you want.
TonikJDK said:
Ok, didn't know that.
You are on a different path. You wait on Google for updates. There might be, there might not be. Certainly 7.1.2 will go live and we will all be on the same path and then 7.1.2 will get monthly updates, but when that is we don't know.
So for now you stay where you are, or you flash back to 7.1.1. we can do that without data loss if you want.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I am in the beta program, that's why I am on this version. So, I'm assuming the beta's don't get updates then? I have turned off automatic updates since I'm rooted. Would you recommend I turn that back on or no? If I'm correct, I can't take a OTA since I'm rooted so I was correct in turning off automatic updates then? I will probably stay on this version since the difference is improvement and bug fixes. So, when 7.1.2 rolls out to everyone, then I would assume that that version would show up on the Google page then?
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

UPDATE.......full OTA .... does not work with TWRP

Hello,
my Pixel XL came from T-Mobile Germany.
I am in TWRP alpha2 and SR4-SuperSU-v2.78-SR4.
My Pixel XL is on NDE63H.
I logged the OTA download process used the link in there and got now the 68MB small OTA.zip.
Can I use TWRP and this small update OTA to update to NDE63U,
or do I need to use the large 850MB OTA file from the google develope site to do so -> marlin-ota-nde63u-56d5b07a.zip?
I think I will loose root by using the large one, but will I loose TWRP as well?
My preference would be to use the small one, but will it work via TWRP and will I loose root as well or will this only update the necessary files?
Any help is highly appreciated.
mancman
I haven't tried it on the pixel, but on my previous Nexus device (N6), the small OTA would fail if the devices was rooted or had any changes to the system partition - that's because the small OTA was an incremental update, and was checking to see if the system partition was modified in any way before applying the OTA.
The full OTA would work - but you would lose the root/TWRP. Reinstalling TWRP is just a fastboot command away, so why is that a big deal?
Hello jj14,
I tried it.
First within TWRP and then by sideload and both failed with the same error.
I first needed to get a newer version of adb, but it failed as said above as well via sideload.
See error message here in the attached picture.
Any hint?
As far as that error, it means the binary update files are missing. That could be because the structure of OTA's changed. Without seeing the OTA I cannot say for sure. I would post that screenshot in the twrp thread and ask @Dees_Troy what he thinks.
Hello Scott,
thanks for your answer.
I wrote Dess a message.
Attached 2 screenshots which show what is in the zip from the OTA file and one for the comparison to a Nexus 10 zip,
you see that the update-binary is missing, so Goggle has changed things here as you postulated.
Thanks,
mancman
I assume you are trying to sideload the full OTA file. If so, what error did you get using the ADB sideload? (yes, you will need the newest version of ADB - download from the Google developers site). TWRP is still very new, so there may still be some bugs to address - Dees is pretty good about quick updates/fixes though.
I may be wrong here but shouldn't you flash back stock recovery before applying stock ota ??

Is it possible to install OTA updates when rooted and running Magisk?

I've got the RETUS model, XT1710-01, of the Moto Z2 Play, and while I was successful in unlocking the bootloader and installing Magisk (I still have stock recovery), I have been unable to install the OTA updates. Even though they may not be vital to the device's functionality at the moment, I was hoping someone might be able to inform me as to how I might go about installing an OTA update.
I have seen that several other users have posted about the repository here that has the firmware ZIP files for our model phone.
Is there a set of steps I could follow in order to flash this update?
Do not install OTA with custom recovery.
Try this:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/z2-play/how-to/fastboot-rom-oreo-retail-via-fastboot-t3786153
read care fully. it works well me on 09

Looking for Rooted Pixel 3XL owners

I am trying to diagnose an issue with my Pixel 3XL in which it won't allow me to do the OTA update.
I am looking to see if anyone can verify that they have a file at: /data/system/system-update-info.xml
If you have this file and are on the December 5th security update or the Jan update please send it to me or post here.
Thank you in advance.
vMAC said:
I am trying to diagnose an issue with my Pixel 3XL in which it won't allow me to do the OTA update.
I am looking to see if anyone can verify that they have a file at: /data/system/system-update-info.xml
If you have this file and are on the December 5th security update or the Jan update please send it to me or post here.
Thank you in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
On my phone, the file you are looking for does not exist at this location. Are you rooted and trying to take an OTA? If so the downloaded "incremental" OTA is never going to work. If you are bound and determined to use an OTA image, simply sideload the full OTA from recovery via adb, and if you are rooted why not just flash the full image via fastboot?
v12xke said:
On my phone, the file you are looking for does not exist at this location. Are you rooted and trying to take an OTA? If so the downloaded "incremental" OTA is never going to work. If you are bound and determined to use an OTA image, simply sideload the full OTA from recovery via adb, and if you are rooted why not just flash the full image via fastboot?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In the past I have been able to do the incremental OTA while rooted with Magisk without issue. Lately I have been having issues getting it to even acknowledge that an OTA is available. When checking my logcat it showed an attempt to locate that file and that is why I was checking to see if anyone had it.
The problem with doing a full image via fastboot is that I have to be tethered. I travel a lot and don't want to have to worry about getting to my home computer to get everything up to date. The previous ability to do an OTA with Magisk installed for my Pixel was perfect and efficient. Hoping to get back to that point.
vMAC said:
I am trying to diagnose an issue with my Pixel 3XL in which it won't allow me to do the OTA update.
I am looking to see if anyone can verify that they have a file at: /data/system/system-update-info.xml
If you have this file and are on the December 5th security update or the Jan update please send it to me or post here.
Thank you in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am on the December 5th update, rooted, and that file doesn't exist for me. Oddly enough, I don't have a pending update though. When I force it to check it tells me I am up to date.
Did you ever figure this out?

OTA File Location

Greetings.
Let's say I accidentally DL'd the OTA from the OEM update screen. Where in my file system might I find the file? I read that it may expire and vanish. It's that true? Kind of afraid to reboot right now. Thanks in advance.
Pixel 2xl, rooted, Magisk, OEM 10, Aug. rev.
Even if the OTA did expire and vanish, and I have never heard that happening, Google makes full OTA images available at https://developers.google.com/android/ota in the Taimen section. As to where they are located, likely in the /data partition, but I have absolutely no clue where exactly they are.
I would simply reboot, as the system has most likely already applied the OTA and simply needs to finish completing the update.
So I had to reboot, now I lost root. Is there an easy way to get it back or do I have to wipe?? Thanks.
Boot - NOT install - TWRP using fastboot on the bootloader screen and flash a copy of Magisk you should have stored on your unit.
If you need detailed instructions we have a rooting guide on the forum that should help. Just make sure not to install TWRP or the unit will end up bootlooping, requiring you to flash the full firmware to fix it.

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