Database Develop

[Q] Scared to apply JB Update

I had another thread about rooting my Bionic and I was getting help. I did have more questions and was hoping that as the process went on, I would get answers. I guess it just kinda died since no one is answering my last questions. If anyone wants to check it out, it's in this section and the only one I have posted.
Anyway, the main question I have, and I figured it would be better to start it's own topic, is about updating to JB on a rooted phone. I have read many threads and lots of people either messed up root or bricked and had to start over. I guess it's not so much a question, more like directions on doing it properly. Like I said, I have read posts with instructions and a bunch of people chime in saying they did everything but still lost root. So there could be something unclear in those instructions and I don't want to take a chance. I will tell you what I have so far and what I have done.
I rooted my phone using this method
http://droidbionicroot.com/droid-bionic-root/how-to-root-ics-on-droid-bionic-and-motorola-android/
The root process I used gave me SuperSU and didn't tell me the version for the SU binaries. I searched around and all I could find was info on SuperUser in regards to backing up root. I uninstalled SuperSU, kinda. I just told it to use a different SU cuz when I used SuperUser and updated the binaries, SuperSU wanted to update them, then I opened SuperUser and the binaries reverted back. I was worried so I just told SuperSU to use a different SU. Was that ok?
SuperSU is no longer there, just disappeared. SuperUser is still on my phone.
Got safestrap tho still not updated to 3.11, got TBU (free), got Voodoo.
I have not made a backup with TBU.
I did do protect root with Voodoo but that was a week or so ago.
I have not made any major changes. BUT, I do have Hide It Pro and the apps I have hidden appear in TBU as frozen. Well at least it is highlighted and the option defrost is there.
So yeah, I want to make sure I update correctly. And I know some of you will either think or actually post that I should search. I assure you that I have. I just want to make sure it's not the instructions and it's just the person's mistake for not following instructions. I did see a post that had a bunch of people saying it didn't work and then 3 pages in a person said "oh you were supposed to do that" which was never made clear.

Don't be afraid....
The worst that can happen is you brick your phone and have to redo EVERYTHING. And chances are that won't happen if you're considering this and have done things in the past.
I only keep one SU app on my phone, but I have heard about being careful if you do have more than one not to confuse the binaries, so maybe if you can uninstall one and just use the one you kept to do everything, I'd say do that, but again I don't know.
I would also be careful about anything frozen especially if it's a system app or bloatware in the system...
See my other thread [Trifecta] Jelly Bean Update...I had all kinds of issues and made it thru, I'm sure you could too.
Cheers.

Ok, but what exactly do I do? I haven't modded anything, just rooted and "froze" apps. I know that after reading that I should take my phone back to where I had it right after root with no changes. Like I said, my phone has no mods and nothing has really changed. So what is the best way to update and keep root? Only reason I want to keep root is because it was easy and I don't want to do it again but more complicated (don't know Linux) If someone wants to type it out, step by step, or link to instructions that you followed exactly and succeeded in updating and keeping root, please do so.
As far as the GSM hack, not sure if I really need that.

Sorry....wasn't leaving you hanging...
You can try an app called OTA RootKeeper by Voodoo, it seems to work most of the time. But from what I understand once you start the update to JB even if it fails you can't go back. So if you update and lose root...
Go HERE
Read thru it, then follow the links to all info, tools & instructions.
Cheers.

Thanks. Hopefully everything goes ok with the update. I really don't want to spend a day learning and updating programs I never used. But if the update fails I guess I have no choice. I will wait till I know I have time, probably this weekend.

CycoPuppet said:
Thanks. Hopefully everything goes ok with the update. I really don't want to spend a day learning and updating programs I never used. But if the update fails I guess I have no choice. I will wait till I know I have time, probably this weekend.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was chiming in for what little help I could offer on your other thread, and then I ran into an unexpected glitch myself. You can read all about it here. Basically, if you do an FDR for any reason on the stock ROM in SafeStrap, you are probably going to run into problems. It's happening to a ton of other people.

CycoPuppet said:
I had another thread about rooting my Bionic and I was getting help. I did have more questions and was hoping that as the process went on, I would get answers. I guess it just kinda died since no one is answering my last questions. If anyone wants to check it out, it's in this section and the only one I have posted.
Anyway, the main question I have, and I figured it would be better to start it's own topic, is about updating to JB on a rooted phone. I have read many threads and lots of people either messed up root or bricked and had to start over. I guess it's not so much a question, more like directions on doing it properly. Like I said, I have read posts with instructions and a bunch of people chime in saying they did everything but still lost root. So there could be something unclear in those instructions and I don't want to take a chance. I will tell you what I have so far and what I have done.
I rooted my phone using this method
http://droidbionicroot.com/droid-bionic-root/how-to-root-ics-on-droid-bionic-and-motorola-android/
The root process I used gave me SuperSU and didn't tell me the version for the SU binaries. I searched around and all I could find was info on SuperUser in regards to backing up root. I uninstalled SuperSU, kinda. I just told it to use a different SU cuz when I used SuperUser and updated the binaries, SuperSU wanted to update them, then I opened SuperUser and the binaries reverted back. I was worried so I just told SuperSU to use a different SU. Was that ok?
SuperSU is no longer there, just disappeared. SuperUser is still on my phone.
Got safestrap tho still not updated to 3.11, got TBU (free), got Voodoo.
I have not made a backup with TBU.
I did do protect root with Voodoo but that was a week or so ago.
I have not made any major changes. BUT, I do have Hide It Pro and the apps I have hidden appear in TBU as frozen. Well at least it is highlighted and the option defrost is there.
So yeah, I want to make sure I update correctly. And I know some of you will either think or actually post that I should search. I assure you that I have. I just want to make sure it's not the instructions and it's just the person's mistake for not following instructions. I did see a post that had a bunch of people saying it didn't work and then 3 pages in a person said "oh you were supposed to do that" which was never made clear.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You were trying to use two different superuser apps (superuser and SuperSu) to control the su binary - each comes with its own binary, so when you used one to update su, then the other is naturally going to complain.

Clean Install
CycoPuppet said:
So yeah, I want to make sure I update correctly. And I know some of you will either think or actually post that I should search. I assure you that I have. I just want to make sure it's not the instructions and it's just the person's mistake for not following instructions. I did see a post that had a bunch of people saying it didn't work and then 3 pages in a person said "oh you were supposed to do that" which was never made clear.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I highly suggest that before you try anything, you make a backup of your device with TBU and then copy the TBU file to your PC.
From what i've heard the cleanest way to keep root and get to JB is to backup everything, flash the ICS fxz, root, backup root with Voodoo and then take the ota update. This should put your phone on stock rooted JB. From there you can download TBU and restore your apps and data.
This is a bit excessive but it should in theory fix any issues that could arise from having frozen apps or otherwise changed the system.

ian_mcxa said:
I highly suggest that before you try anything, you make a backup of your device with TBU and then copy the TBU file to your PC.
From what i've heard the cleanest way to keep root and get to JB is to backup everything, flash the ICS fxz, root, backup root with Voodoo and then take the ota update. This should put your phone on stock rooted JB. From there you can download TBU and restore your apps and data.
This is a bit excessive but it should in theory fix any issues that could arise from having frozen apps or otherwise changed the system.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
DO NOT ATTEMPT TO FXZ TO 246 ICS NOW. You've already updated to JB, and you will brick your phone if you attempt to go back.

VS910ZVB: "LG Revolution gets bloat-removing OTA update"

From Android Central: "Updates, patches, and bug fixes are included in version VS910ZVB."
I don't have enough posts yet to link, so replace the " [dot] ":
androidcentral [dot] com/lg-revolution-gets-bloat-removing-ota-update

I have remove clock work so I can get the update. Been so long since I connected my phone to my pc to this, I will have to start from scratch. Time to search for all the how to's in here.

Haxcid said:
I have remove clock work so I can get the update. Been so long since I connected my phone to my pc to this, I will have to start from scratch. Time to search for all the how to's in here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm rooted but without CWM (still have stock recovery). Can I simply defrost (freezing is all I've done) and get the update? Or do I have to do a hard reset to get back to full stock?
If hard reset to stock is required, any tips or techniques that you use to save time to get back to where you were? Thx.

Well I am updated and while I notice that all the extra Verizon apps are gone here is what I see...
1. Kindle, bing, slacker, tunewiki, and Verizon tones are all still installed and no option to remove them.
2, After I installed a dozen apps of my own, I still have 1gig of app space available.
3. The phone is remarkable faster and smoother.
I am going to see if they fixed the Exchange email client issue I was having...

Haxcid said:
Well I am updated and while I notice that all the extra Verizon apps are gone here is what I see...
1. Kindle, bing, slacker, tunewiki, and Verizon tones are all still installed and no option to remove them.
2, After I installed a dozen apps of my own, I still have 1gig of app space available.
3. The phone is remarkable faster and smoother.
I am going to see if they fixed the Exchange email client issue I was having...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you need to unroot? If yes how did you do it?
Thx
Mendel

mmp17 said:
Did you need to unroot? If yes how did you do it?
Thx
Mendel
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Rooted should be ok, you may likely lose your root. It does not install with clockwork. I used lgnpst and imaged my phone, I then did a factory reset, felt like starting from scratch.
Verizon only removed a handful of apps. I am not sure it was worth the trouble. I have to root again so I can go back in and freeze or uninstall all the crap they left.
Id say in the de-bloat department they were a epic fail.

Haxcid said:
Rooted should be ok, you may likely lose your root. It does not install with clockwork. I used lgnpst and imaged my phone, I then did a factory reset, felt like starting from scratch.
Verizon only removed a handful of apps. I am not sure it was worth the trouble. I have to root again so I can go back in and freeze or uninstall all the crap they left.
Id say in the de-bloat department they were a epic fail.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tried to do the update and it fails. I unrooted and it still failed if it is not worth it I'll leave it as it is. let us know if this update can be rooted.
Thx
Mendel

mmp17 said:
I tried to do the update and it fails. I unrooted and it still failed if it is not worth it I'll leave it as it is. let us know if this update can be rooted.
Thx
Mendel
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah I returned my phone to stock with the lg tool and tot file, then did a factory reset, updated, rooted again, used titanium back up to uninstall the rest of the bloat Verizon missed.

While I do not know if the update breaks root or not, you can use the root tool in the dev section (esteem root v2) to root your phone. It works like a charm.

So was anything else updated? Trying to decide if it's worth my time to bother with. I am already running a zv9 that I seriously debloated and tweaked to where it's useable.
Sent from my VS910 4G using xda app-developers app

me too. I am running zv9 with root. And uninstalled lots of useless apps for me. I tried update, but failed.
wslguy said:
So was anything else updated? Trying to decide if it's worth my time to bother with. I am already running a zv9 that I seriously debloated and tweaked to where it's useable.
Sent from my VS910 4G using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

It will rebloat your phone. While they did patch some things, my phone did actually run smoother. I did have to root it again and un-install all the bloat they left, vzw tones, navigator, city id, kindle, slacker, etc...
No better battery life and not much of a performance increase. Id wait if you are happy.

keeps trying to update
I was planning on rooting & putting BrokenOut ROM on my revo when my contract ended. Then this OTA update came out, and I was worried that it would prevent that. So, I rooted the phone and put CWM recovery on and did a backup. As expected, the OTA update failed.
But, it hasn't given up. It tries and tries, about once a day. I hear my phone chirp, and it has rebooted and drained the battery, and shows at various times either the "update failed" screen, or the "updating in 2 minutes" screen, or recovery. When I get prompted to run the update, I defer it - but the deferal time doesn't correspond to when the reboot happens.
It's possible that the rooting and recovery are behind the problem, and not the update - but I suspect the update has something to do with it.
So, what I'd like to know is:
1) if I get the update, can I still use ROM Manager to change the recovery back to CWM, and still be able to flash BO on it?
2) to get the update, is it safe to just use ROM Manager to put the stock recovery on it, then run the update? I haven't done any debloating or other rooty stuff not mentioned above. I'd rather not lose data by reset, tot, etc.
3) can I fix my problem without getting the update? Maybe one of the options on the "update failed" screen? I'm not sure if I've selected only "OK" or only "Cancel" so far - or what those are supposed to mean.
4) do the security updates make zvb better than BO? (Does anyone here no what the security updates are?)
Thanks...

Broken out is based off of V9, so unless there are updates to the radio, you will most likely over-write most, if not all, of the updates.
As posted earlier, someone has rooted and installed cwm. But, someone wants to post up the update (you can rip it from the /data/local/tmp directory, iirc) I will try my best to update BO. Also, if someone can do a backup of the new update and post it up, (not the blob crap, the other one ) I'll rip the kernel and post a flashable zip. Maybe they did fix something. We will see.

I.M.famous XMAN said:
Broken out is based off of V9, so unless there are updates to the radio, you will most likely over-write most, if not all, of the updates.
As posted earlier, someone has rooted and installed cwm. But, someone wants to post up the update (you can rip it from the /data/local/tmp directory, iirc) I will try my best to update BO. Also, if someone can do a backup of the new update and post it up, (not the blob crap, the other one ) I'll rip the kernel and post a flashable zip. Maybe they did fix something. We will see.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I figured current BO would undo zvb, that's why I was wondering which I should go with. The update downloaded several times, but I don't see anything in /data/local/tmp. Don't know if the download failed or just didn't persist. It hasn't tried to update for the last 30 hours or so. I'm not eager to encourage it at the moment.
I see that haxcid re-rooted, but nothing about re-cwm-ing.

can't find update file(s)
I.M.famous XMAN said:
...someone wants to post up the update (you can rip it from the /data/local/tmp directory, iirc) ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I rebooted my phone, and once again it prompted me to install the update. I selected "defer" and then checked settings / about phone / software update / status which says "Package downloaded successfully".
However, /data/local/tmp is still an empty directory, according to ES File Explorer.

That's where the file was stored for v7, v8, and v9. Maybe they changed it for this update. IDK. I'll look into it. No worries. It's all good.

I think it gets downloaded to /cache/fota, but deleted once the process finishes failing. I will try to trigger it again and copy it before the phone reboots. I was not given the defer option this time.
---------- Post added at 01:31 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:09 PM ----------
OrangeJoe said:
I think it gets downloaded to /cache/fota, but deleted once the process finishes failing. I will try to trigger it again and copy it before the phone reboots. I was not given the defer option this time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, I got it, I think. It's called ipth_package.bin
For now, I'm going to skip trying to attach it, and just give the link from which it seems to download:
https : / / pvzwmdmcdn.vzw.motive.com/firmware/LG_VS910_ZV9_TO_ZVB.bin
~47 MB

OrangeJoe said:
I think it gets downloaded to /cache/fota, but deleted once the process finishes failing. I will try to trigger it again and copy it before the phone reboots. I was not given the defer option this time.
---------- Post added at 01:31 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:09 PM ----------
Ok, I got it, I think. It's called ipth_package.bin
For now, I'm going to skip trying to attach it, and just give the link from which it seems to download:
https : / / pvzwmdmcdn.vzw.motive.com/firmware/LG_VS910_ZV9_TO_ZVB.bin
~47 MB
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is it weird that my phone never prompted me for the OTA? I am on BO 2.0.1 with ZV9

dbeauch said:
Is it weird that my phone never prompted me for the OTA? I am on BO 2.0.1 with ZV9
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not really. I believe MT disabled the update feature from BO; hence the 'super fast' FC's at boot.

[Trifecta] Jelly Bean Update

This one is pretty straight forward...Especially if you haven't done much modding to your
phone.
If you're stock or close to, you can probably just move the update to the phone sd and use stock recovery to apply update, and you're good to go. If you are already rooted try the OTA RootKeeper app, hopefully it'll work for you. being that it seems to be hit & miss, i'm guessing it didn't work for people that had issues updating, but will work for those whose update goes smooth.
I on the other hand had already rooted and did the GSM hack on mine so I ran into a few issues that I've others have been having too.
Probably the biggest and most common are "system 7" errors. I've realized you get these when the update checks and finds that ICS files have changed, are frozen, gone, etc. and it's a bit harder to diagnose because it keeps changing depending on what's wrong.
For example it had a code then something else and it referrenced my STK.apk file, then I realized when I did the GSM hack I renamed those to Stk.apk.bak & stk.odex.bak as recommended. So I fixed those & tried update again.
Failed this time at build.prop, yep another GSM mod, but I didn't back-up or save orig settings, so I had to find a bionic ICS build.prop and replace it. found it here (will update with link asap).
Tried again, IIRC, this is the time it worked, but only booted to animation loop. This sucked. Tried to use House of Bionic to fix, couldn't get it to work, but ended finding a fix using recovory "AP Fastboot" had to use pc CMD to reinstall preinstall.img & system.img from the HoB ICS FXZ file.
Look HERE. Thanks to ERIC for this, he gives you everything you need. He's also responsible for dead battery workaround I put below.
When you do this, you can't boot phone back up but you can go into stock recovery & re-apply update from sd on your phone. It wipes everything tho, so if you used OTA RootKeeper, it's gone. But you get phone back.
Bottom line...MAKE BACK-ups or save everything you've changed.
If you've heavily modded things on your phone it might be more worth it (easier) to back up & save what you can as far as apps & personal stuff then redo ICS stock, Maybe root & use OTA RootKeeper here, tho I've heard this doesn't always work either (the OTA part), then apply JB update. then re-install / apply what you were able to save / back-up.
So in hindsight I would guess modding anything within the system is what gives you the "system 7" error, and depending on what you did, or maybe someone you bought the phone from already rooted & modded, it can take you all day to fix / replace those files, just do the reflash of the (2) img files & call it a day. This way you can probably avoid the boot loop issue too.
One other thing about the boot loop one...if you wait & wait & wait like I did it KILLS your battery, and you won't be able to use Fastboot.
IF THIS HAPPENS...find an old phone charger or DC plug, like for your computer, clip off the end and line up the positive & negative connections on the battery then push it into the phone so the wires are touching the phone connections too. Be careful what it's putting out tho, I found I had one that the output was 6 (watts i believe) and 300 mah. It worked the trick just fine. you don't want anything to high as you don't want to burn up any circuits. most USB plug phone chargers go around 5 (watts) I believe. just FYI.
Hope this helps someone.
Cheers.

Oops! Pocket and Titanium Backup DON'T Mix

To start I broke my holster this morning. So I put my phone in my pocket like everyone would do. I apparently didn't lock the phone first. (This of course being just after I rooted and installed some Root features such as Titanium Backup) This led to only God knows, my phone opening many apps including TiB and settings. Somehow google account syncing stopped working. I read some suggestions and tried them all including a factory reset. After the reset nothing changed now except I had a phone that had no contacts or anything else tied to google. I retried editing the hosts file in /etc. I cannot edit it with Root Browser, Root Explorer, or even after using another program called mount r/w r/o. I did another stupid thing by deleting the host file in an attempt to replace it with another I created. Only good news is now the google account will get past the screen that says i don't have a reliable connection to the server. Still cannot access the play store but I do now have calendar, contacts, and a few other things. Any ideas how I could write to /etc
Sincerely,
My stupid self.
P.S.
I already ordered another holster.
EDIT: I factory reset once more and play store started working. I did root again and the host file is still deleted.

If you're not worried about your apps and data, you could always ODIN back to stock and start over. It may not be the best way to go, but its definitely the easiest...I already did it 3 times since the root came out XD

raynan said:
If you're not worried about your apps and data, you could always ODIN back to stock and start over. It may not be the best way to go, but its definitely the easiest...I already did it 3 times since the root came out XD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I read if you have the OTA version you can't ODIN back since the newer firmware is not out. I didn't get to the phone in time when it OTA'd. I will probably do that when the newer firmware is out. I am not anywhere close to a dev. So if I am way off base correct me its the only way I learn.

beeglej said:
I read if you have the OTA version you can't ODIN back since the newer firmware is not out. I didn't get to the phone in time when it OTA'd. I will probably do that when the newer firmware is out. I am not anywhere close to a dev. So if I am way off base correct me its the only way I learn.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes you can : http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=53454972
Swiping from dark side of Galaxy S5.

Root and OTA Updates

I have rooted my phone, but am not doing any custom ROMS or anything. I notice that I have an OTA update, and figure that it may be in my best interest to install it, and it would stop nagging me then too. I know if i un-root, I will loose everything. I use Titanium backup. So if I do a full backup, un-root, install update(s), re-root, I can re-install Titanium (I have the paid version) and recover everything right where I left off correct?

I am assuming that you unlocked the bootloader even though you are just rooting. That is how I roll. If so it would be far easier to download the latest image for your phone and flash it. Just skip flashing the user partition. That will save your apps, data and settings.
It is a 10 minute process and far less prone to errors. TI backups are great but can create lots of little gremlins when you restore them.
And with root there are so many other things you could have changed that might cause the update to fail that it just isn't worth the effort.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using XDA Labs

TonikJDK said:
I am assuming that you unlocked the bootloader even though you are just rooting. That is how I roll. If so it would be far easier to download the latest image for your phone and flash it. Just skip flashing the user partition. That will save your apps, data and settings.
It is a 10 minute process and far less prone to errors. TI backups are great but can create lots of little gremlins when you restore them.
And with root there are so many other things you could have changed that might cause the update to fail that it just isn't worth the effort.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using XDA Labs
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Awesome! Good to know. I know how to use the search function, but what should I search for to find how to do what you've recommended?
Thanks again

therealcrazy8 said:
Awesome! Good to know. I know how to use the search function, but what should I search for to find how to do what you've recommended?
Thanks again
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Googling "nexus factory images" will get you where you need to go. But also I'd like to add that on the SuperSU forums there are posts about using the SuperSU app's built in "full unroot" feature with systemless root allows usage of ota's. It works by just restoring a backup of your boot image that the SuperSU.zip takes before rooting with the new systemless root method. The caveat to this is that when you install the zip via TWRP you need to select the "Leave /system read-only" option upon first install and also not mount /system as R/W at any time during your usage of root.
The way I've personally been doing ota's lately is just taking a "system-image" backup in TWRP before modding anything that way when the ota rolls around I just restore the backup, apply the ota update the backup reflash twrp and root. Doesn't really save any time versus using a factory image but 10mb ota vs 2gb image is easier for me with crummy data limited internets

StykerB said:
...The way I've personally been doing ota's lately is just taking a "system-image" backup in TWRP before modding anything that way when the ota rolls around I just restore the backup, apply the ota update the backup reflash twrp and root. Doesn't really save any time versus using a factory image but 10mb ota vs 2gb image is easier for me with crummy data limited internets
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Interesting. As a rooted user though, why is flashing the entire (new) factory image an option, rather than just cherry-picking the files that you need (i.e boot.img, radio etc if altered)? I mean, I realize that you still have to download the whole image, but there are far fewer steps involved to getting a revised security update on your device than with resurrecting a stock Nandroid, applying the OTA, and then rooting again.

therealcrazy8 said:
Awesome! Good to know. I know how to use the search function, but what should I search for to find how to do what you've recommended?
Thanks again
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
At the top this sub forum is an FAQ that will get you going. Also in the development forum is a thread for Wugfresh NRT toolkit. It will do everything you need.
The option you are looking for in that is the 'no wipe' option to save your data.
But you should do it manually first, so you understand what is what if something goes wrong. And you should TI backup just in case.
If it bootloops or freaks out don't panic. It is fixable, as long as the bootloader is unlocked.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using XDA Labs

Not_A_Dev said:
Interesting. As a rooted user though, why is flashing the entire (new) factory image an option, rather than just cherry-picking the files that you need (i.e boot.img, radio etc if altered)? I mean, I realize that you still have to download the whole image, but there are far fewer steps involved to getting a revised security update on your device than with resurrecting a stock Nandroid, applying the OTA, and then rooting again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's only restoring the /system so data and apps remain but the main goal of mine is just saving data by not having to downloading a factory image. Regardless of how you do it you still have a PC in the mix at some point so I might as well save some of my data plan.