Root Pixel 3XL via OTA/Magisk (and March 2020 OTA) - Google Pixel 3 XL Questions & Answers

I've been using the lazy method of rooting my 3XL from an arriving OTA.
https://topjohnwu.github.io/Magisk/tutorials.html
It works great, the problem is the OTA arriving. As was well publicized the December one never arrived, but the January one did. However, I never got the February so I'm still on January. I don't know if that was widespread. Finally, its now March 8 and I haven't gotten the March OTA., which is available on the factory image site. If I didn't get February automatically (and I do poll) I have to wonder if I will get March.
Is there a way to get the phone to treat a manually downloaded OTA the same way as one that was auto distributed? I know about the other ways to update and patch, but I like the OTA method.

kmandel said:
I've been using the lazy method of rooting my 3XL from an arriving OTA.
https://topjohnwu.github.io/Magisk/tutorials.html
It works great, the problem is the OTA arriving. As was well publicized the December one never arrived, but the January one did. However, I never got the February so I'm still on January. I don't know if that was widespread. Finally, its now March 8 and I haven't gotten the March OTA., which is available on the factory image site. If I didn't get February automatically (and I do poll) I have to wonder if I will get March.
Is there a way to get the phone to treat a manually downloaded OTA the same way as one that was auto distributed? I know about the other ways to update and patch, but I like the OTA method.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your phone won't apply the OTA with a modified boot image (magisk modifies it).
If you want to get updates you'll need to manually flash the full system image with the -w removed from the bat file. Head over to the guides portion of the forum for instructions.

ffchampmt said:
Your phone won't apply the OTA with a modified boot image (magisk modifies it).
If you want to get updates you'll need to manually flash the full system image with the -w removed from the bat file. Head over to the guides portion of the forum for instructions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you look at the url at the top of the thread you will see that first you do is "Magisk Manager → Uninstall → Restore Images" before triggering the OTA install.
It does work fine, I've done it twice. The problem is that Google didn't download the OTA in December or February, and so far in March (though its early).

kmandel said:
If you look at the url at the top of the thread you will see that first you do is "Magisk Manager → Uninstall → Restore Images" before triggering the OTA install.
It does work fine, I've done it twice. The problem is that Google didn't download the OTA in December or February, and so far in March (though its early).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did the Jan OTA update with Magisk and it worked great. I got tired of waiting for the Feb and Mar OTA's so I flashed the full Mar image yesterday. There's another thread with others having the same issue of not getting the OTA https://forum.xda-developers.com/pixel-3-xl/help/preparing-update-t4060613

This is happening to a lot of us. If you time it right you will see it say Preparing to update.....if you manually check before it has tried.
The preparing goes away and then it is stuck on you are up to date. Google found a way to pre check for root I think.

Related

S9 Not Updating (AT&T)

I've got an AT&T S9 and it's still got the February 1 security patch and says no updates are pending. AT&T's website indicates that the latest security patch they've released is July and that there was also a June update. https://www.att.com/devicehowto/tut...9?make=Samsung&model=SamsungG965U&gsi=uArWqmI
Is it possible the June update got pulled (and not removed from the AT&T website) and that for some reason the July update hasn't been released for my device yet? Can anyone shed some light on this for me? I searched and couldn't find anything regarding this.
Thanks
Idk. I got an unlocked s9 on metro pcs. I didn't get an update since June patch. Used odin updated myself. Give it a try.
I just got the August first update today I'm also on AT&T using an S9 from AT&T
Check it out
tlopez1973 said:
Check it out
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
tlopez1973 said:
I just got the August first update today I'm also on AT&T using an S9 from AT&T
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. Did either of you get the June update? I'm still on February and whenever I check no new update is available.
jollywhitefoot said:
Thanks. Did either of you get the June update? I'm still on February and whenever I check no new update is available.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the replies everyone, but I've got an update downloading now. Here's what I did...
Background and symptoms:
- I was what I believe was the original out of the box firmware (G960USQU1ARB7 - February 2018 security patch)
- When I would check for updates i would immediately get a message that no updates were available (like it wouldn't even check really)
- I tried doing a factory reset which didn't help
Resolution:
- Used FirmwareScience to find and download the next update (G960USQU1ARBI here is the direct link)
- Followed the instructions there to install the update (placed the update.zip file on SDCard, reboot to recovery, select update from zip)
- After the update, I went back into settings to see if the next update would download and it did...it's installing now.
Void Warranty
jollywhitefoot said:
Thanks for the replies everyone, but I've got an update downloading now. Here's what I did...
Background and symptoms:
- I was what I believe was the original out of the box firmware (G960USQU1ARB7 - February 2018 security patch)
- When I would check for updates i would immediately get a message that no updates were available (like it wouldn't even check really)
- I tried doing a factory reset which didn't help
Resolution:
- Used ="https://samsung.firmware.science"]FirmwareScience to find and download the next update (G960USQU1ARBI https://samsung.firmware.science/download?url=52758/1488/SS-G960USQU1ARB7-to-U1ARBI-UP"]here is the direct link)
- Followed the instructions there to install the update (placed the update.zip file on SDCard, reboot to recovery, select update from zip)
- After the update, I went back into settings to see if the next update would download and it did...it's installing now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Will it void warranty?
in download mode there is void warranty: 0x0 will it switch to 0x1? is that case working as OTA update I dont want to slow down my device, thank you

In place OTA upgrade from Android 9 to Android 10 keeping Magisk root?

Maybe this was posted already, but my search skills seem to be failing me at the moment. :silly:
Is there a way to do an in place OTA update from pie to Android 10 Q keeping Magisk root?
Or do I have to do the old way and revert pie, take the OTA, then apply the patched boot.img?
Thanks for any help!
You could revert and take the update or revert and flash Q via fastboot. Either way you'll have to root again after.
Pixel 3 XL, Yep, Crashed It.....
..... Again.
What I usually do is grab the current months image (in this case november), move the boot.img to my device, patch it with Magisk, move it back to my computer. Grab the OTA for the current month, sideload via fastbootd, after successful reboot I just go back into fastboot and flash the patched_boot.img.
Sounds like a lot, but usually takes only a few minutes after the downloads are complete.
In case anyone was wondering, now that Magisk is updated to 20.1, I was able to do an in place OTA upgrade from Android 9 to Android 10 following the Magisk tutorial here: https://github.com/topjohnwu/Magisk/blob/master/docs/tutorials.md
My laziness paid off and I only waited a couple of months! :laugh:
ilikecl said:
In case anyone was wondering, now that Magisk is updated to 20.1, I was able to do an in place OTA upgrade from Android 9 to Android 10 following the Magisk tutorial here: https://github.com/topjohnwu/Magisk/blob/master/docs/tutorials.md
My laziness paid off and I only waited a couple of months! :laugh:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Has your Pixel taken the January 2020 update yet?
statustray said:
Has your Pixel taken the January 2020 update yet?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup. Did an in-place OTA upgrade for the Jan 2020 update as well.
ilikecl said:
Yup. Did an in-place OTA upgrade for the Jan 2020 update as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm with vzw, and my device has not listed the January 2020 update. In fact, via OTA, I am on:
Build number: QP1A.191005.007
statustray said:
I'm with vzw, and my device has not listed the January 2020 update. In fact, via OTA, I am on:
Build number: QP1A.191005.007
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm on Visible, which should be the same as VZW.
But I guess maybe Visible doesn't have to go through testing the bloatware that comes on VZW builds before releasing the OTA...?
Dunno.
ilikecl said:
I'm on Visible, which should be the same as VZW.
But I guess maybe Visible doesn't have to go through testing the bloatware that comes on VZW builds before releasing the OTA...?
Dunno.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah that very well could be. I'm going to check my better half's phone and see if her has taken a new OTA yet. We're both vzw with google edition phones - my model is Pixel 3 XL, and hers is Pixel (OG).
Thanks.

Has Anyone Gotten the April OTA Automatically for Pixel 3XL?

I didn't get the automatic OTA for December, February, or March,and so far no April. Just January came automatically. My Pixel 3XL was bought from Google, but runs on T-mobil. It is rooted via Magisk. Polling just says I'm up to date with the Jan 1 patch.
Are others getting the auto OTA's, and if so whats different?
I know I can sideload but there is a super easy way to keep root with Magisk and the auto OTA. I got the OTA's before December. I know Google had trouble in December, and January was a makeup.
I'm rooted on March's update. I can check for an OTA for you if that will help. I was not sure how to proceed without losing my root privledges!
---------- Post added at 05:39 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:26 PM ----------
I just checked, it went to preparing and than it stopped. Hope that helps!
kmandel said:
I didn't get the automatic OTA for December, February, or March,and so far no April. Just January came automatically. My Pixel 3XL was bought from Google, but runs on T-mobil. It is rooted via Magisk. Polling just says I'm up to date with the Jan 1 patch.
Are others getting the auto OTA's, and if so whats different?
I know I can sideload but there is a super easy way to keep root with Magisk and the auto OTA. I got the OTA's before December. I know Google had trouble in December, and January was a makeup.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is no super easy way to keep root with Magisk and the auto OTA.
Read #9. B. in this Guide.
Note: If you're using the XDA app: Tap the three dot menu => tap load in Browser => tap three dot menu tap open in Browser.
Homeboy76 said:
There is no super easy way to keep root with Magisk and the auto OTA.
Read #9. B. in this Guide.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
#9B is exactly what I had been using and what I call the super easy way. The trouble is that I haven't got an auto downloaded OTA to use it with since January.
I'm not sure what you are telling me. Is there some way to use it with an OTA manually downloaded from the factory images?
kmandel said:
#9B is exactly what I had been using and what I call the super easy way. The trouble is that I haven't got an auto downloaded OTA to use it with since January.
I'm not sure what you are telling me. Is there some way to use it with an OTA manually downloaded from the factory images?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Edit: Suggestion: Re-Read #9.B.
Homeboy76 said:
If you have been using #9.B. to install the OTA image and keep root. You should know OTA updates must be turned off to do #9.B., and factory images are not the same as OTA images.
Suggestion: Re-Read #9.B. (all of it) again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The toggle in Developer Options "Automatic System Updates, Apply updates when device restarts", refers to running the update automatically, not keeping Google from downloading the OTA either automatically or with a poll. I've always had the toggle as off.
As 9B says the toggle is "so it won’t install OTAs without your acknowledgement"
In the Months before December, and in January the OTA was auto downloaded and I had the option of installing it then, or later. I would just follow 9B at that point. This involves invoking "Settings → System → System Update" on the already downloaded OTA, but not letting it reboot until magisk does its magic.
On your other point, the factory image site has both the full system images and the OTAs. However, its not clear to me how I would trigger the manually downloaded OTA in the same way that "Settings → System → System Update" does with the auto/polled OTA downloaded by Google.
There is another thread on this were many if us are having the same issue while rooted. It seems Google is checking for root before it downloads now. And if you fail that check it isn't offered again. What I did this month was the Monday afternoon that it was released I unrooted, did not reboot and then manually checked for the update. It pulled 8t and applied....then I rerooted in Magisk to the other slot.
kmandel said:
I didn't get the automatic OTA for December, February, or March,and so far no April. Just January came automatically. My Pixel 3XL was bought from Google, but runs on T-mobil. It is rooted via Magisk. Polling just says I'm up to date with the Jan 1 patch.
Are others getting the auto OTA's, and if so whats different?
I know I can sideload but there is a super easy way to keep root with Magisk and the auto OTA. I got the OTA's before December. I know Google had trouble in December, and January was a makeup.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not trying to be a wise guy, but if you know how to sideload and root, why not just do it? Is it worth waiting weeks just to save yourself ten minutes?
kmandel said:
The toggle in Developer Options "Automatic System Updates, Apply updates when device restarts", refers to running the update automatically, not keeping Google from downloading the OTA either automatically or with a poll. I've always had the toggle as off.
As 9B says the toggle is "so it won’t install OTAs without your acknowledgement"
In the Months before December, and in January the OTA was auto downloaded and I had the option of installing it then, or later. I would just follow 9B at that point. This involves invoking "Settings → System → System Update" on the already downloaded OTA, but not letting it reboot until magisk does its magic.
On your other point, the factory image site has both the full system images and the OTAs. However, its not clear to me how I would trigger the manually downloaded OTA in the same way that "Settings → System → System Update" does with the auto/polled OTA downloaded by Google.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My intention is to help not get into an argument concerning the specifics of #9.B.
If my response gave that impression, please accept my apology.
I edited my original post because of the A/B Devices portion of the instructions (#9.B.). The Pixel 3 XL is an A/B device.
In your original post, I belive you wanted to update the Pixel 3 XL firmware via OTA and keep root. I pointed you to a thread that provides a link to instructions to accomplish that (Update the Pixel 3 XL firmware via OTA and keep root) that was written by the developer of Magisk (topjohnwu).
You could do #4 'keep data' to install the factory image. Then do #9.A. to reroot. I only takes a few minutes.
TonikJDK said:
There is another thread on this were many if us are having the same issue while rooted. It seems Google is checking for root before it downloads now. And if you fail that check it isn't offered again. What I did this month was the Monday afternoon that it was released I unrooted, did not reboot and then manually checked for the update. It pulled 8t and applied....then I rerooted in Magisk to the other slot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, thats what I was guessing, that it wouldn't download if it knew I was rooted. I wonder if there is a way to hide root from their check, unrooting is a bit speculative since there isn't a trivial way back if they don't download.
spotmark said:
Not trying to be a wise guy, but if you know how to sideload and root, why not just do it? Is it worth waiting weeks just to save yourself ten minutes?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because its error prone. As far as I know there is no Android 10 Twrp for Pixel 3, and no reroot option other than 9B. The other route patching the boot img just seems messy .
kmandel said:
Thanks, thats what I was guessing, that it wouldn't download if it knew I was rooted. I wonder if there is a way to hide root from their check, unrooting is a bit speculative since there isn't a trivial way back if they don't download.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
One point I may not have been clear on. Once you fail this new check for a month you are done until next month. It won't try again.
If you don't pull the update you can reroot right away with Magisk with the Direct Install method since you have not rebooted. Not ideal but not the end of the world.
kmandel said:
Because its error prone. As far as I know there is no Android 10 Twrp for Pixel 3, and no reroot option other than 9B. The other route patching the boot img just seems messy .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you know how to ADB and fastboot, you don't need TWRP. The most usual reason for error is user error. Even then it's rare to brick a phone. Worst outcome is you lose your data and have to set your phone back up.

Can't Sideload OTA -- Timestamp Problem

I'm rooted and sideload OTA's every 3-4 months. I've done this several times since the phone was released with no issues. Today, was going to be May - August updates. May went through with no problem. However, when I went to install the June OTA, it failed with the following error:
Update package is older than the current build, expected a build newer than timestamp 1586927258 but package has timestamp 1586827774 and downgrade not allowed.
Do you folks have any suggestions? I tried re-downloading, but that didn't work. I checked the SHA-256 Checksum and they're all correct per the Google Developer site. I could move on to the July OTA, but I've never skipped an OTA before and am not sure of the consequences. I'd rather not install factory image and have to set things up again if I can avoid it.
Quick and easy
Fastboot boot the latest TWRP 3.4.0-1 img and flash the August OTA
Skipping June & July OTAs isn't an issue?
Edmontonchef said:
Quick and easy
Fastboot boot the latest TWRP 3.4.0-1 img and flash the August OTA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
jaybird779 said:
Skipping June & July OTAs isn't an issue?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Never had a problem, you could flash and boot those the same way first if it makes you feel better.
Are you sticking to stock or are you running a custom ROM?
This is a known problem with the June update. Notified Google, posted about it on Android Police, problem never fixed. Only way to get the June update was OTA.
Skip June, sideload July or August. Why not just sideload most up to date anyway? Curious. Running August no problem.
A new version of Platform Tools has been released since June.....you may want to download newest Platform Tools and give June another try before loading July or August.
Read Comments: https://www.androidpolice.com/2020/...ogle-pixels-are-here-with-plenty-of-bugfixes/

Question Can't adb install May 2023 ota

So I can't use adb update in recovery for the May 2023 ota update. I think I know the culprit to my issue. When I saw that the May update was out, I just did the usual check to see if the update was pushed to the phone. When I checked for an update, an update started and I thought it was the May update. But after a restart, I saw that it was the still the April update. I figured out that my google version P6P that I used on Verizon, was updated with the Verizon April OTA update, which is dumb because I already had the global April Update installed (I've always had the global builds on my P6P, instead of the VZW ones). Now when I try to adb upgrade in recovery the May 2023 global ota, I get an error:
"Update package is older than the current bulid, expected a build newer than timestamp 1681504608 but package has timestamp 1679671817 and downgrade not allowed"
So is there a way to be able to hop back on the global ota's without having to reset everything and use a factory image?
Phone is completely stock, non-rooted, and I haven't unlocked the bootloader (but OEM unlocking is activated in dev options).
Unlock the bootloader, if you can, and flash a factory image. You can preserve your data doing this, simply by editing the flash-all batch file: info on how to do this is readily available. After, you can lock the bootloader if you wish.
Strephon Alkhalikoi said:
Unlock the bootloader, if you can, and flash a factory image. You can preserve your data doing this, simply by editing the flash-all batch file: info on how to do this is readily available. After, you can lock the bootloader if you wish.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
unlocking the Bootloader will wipe the data anyway..
fernoct said:
unlocking the Bootloader will wipe the data anyway..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are of course correct. So he takes a backup of his internal storage at the very least. There are ways to take a full backup and restore it but it's somewhat tedious to do.
Gonna wait till the June OTA (when the timestamp will presumably be later) and update manually going forward.
I'm in the same boat, and have too many work apps to reconfigure for a reimage. Waiting it out seems like the best option.
somethingsomethingroot said:
Gonna wait till the June OTA (when the timestamp will presumably be later) and update manually going forward.
I'm in the same boat, and have too many work apps to reconfigure for a reimage. Waiting it out seems like the best option.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup, that's probably what i will do. Fight the temptation to flash the vzw ota for may (shouldn't be too hard since May update was for security and bug fixes). If the June global OTA, which will also will be a feature drop, doesn't flash...then I'll resort to unlocking the bootloader and flashing factory image. Thanks to everyone else for chiming in.
For anyone reading this later, remember to turn off automatic system updates in dev options. I forgot to do this and my phone just took the VZW May update by itself. So most likely, I won't be able to adb install the June update, and will have to wait until July.

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