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Will Nexus 6 get OTA updates if rooted and custom recovery is installed?

I'm new to the nexus line. Just wondering if OTA updates will work after rooting my device or do I have to return to stock to get the update? Currently I'm rooted stock , decrypted, and TWRP recovery installed. Should I return to full stock locked or what?

gwojo22 said:
I'm new to the nexus line. Just wondering if OTA updates will work after rooting my device or do I have to return to stock to get the update? Currently I'm rooted stock , decrypted, and TWRP recovery installed. Should I return to full stock locked or what?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ive hear any alteration on the system files will stop the ota from installing. i assume that means recovery as well

gwojo22 said:
I'm new to the nexus line. Just wondering if OTA updates will work after rooting my device or do I have to return to stock to get the update? Currently I'm rooted stock , decrypted, and TWRP recovery installed. Should I return to full stock locked or what?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
shelooga said:
ive hear any alteration on the system files will stop the ota from installing. i assume that means recovery as well
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
sheloga is correct. You'd have to revert back to full stock or wait for someone to make a flashable zip.

Can't you just flash the stock recovery and take the OTA? Or do you have to fully unroot and reflash the factory image?

I would like to pay close attention time to this thread because that is one is the main questions that I have. I hear so many different solutions towards this. I usually wait for a flashable zip but I would want to see someone either wrote a write up or make a video. Subscribed.

My understanding (from looking at the lollipop OTA updater-script) is it checks EVERY file for changes, including other partitions. You must be 100% stock with nothing extra in system (SuperSU apk or busybox etc).

gwojo22 said:
I'm new to the nexus line. Just wondering if OTA updates will work after rooting my device or do I have to return to stock to get the update? Currently I'm rooted stock , decrypted, and TWRP recovery installed. Should I return to full stock locked or what?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
get and being able to apply are two differing things. unless you make it so you cant receive, then you will get an ota. problem is, that you will not be able to apply the update. 1. you can flash the factory img. 2. you can wait for someone to upload a flashable zip. 3. or you can do what most noobs do, and waste your time. what most noobs do is unroot, and flash the stock recovery, then wait for the update.

BLUF: wait until OTA is made available in a recovery flash method. 90% of the time the OTA updates are patching security holes and other less important features.
Having been with a handful of different android devices in the past several years, I've always gone the route of flashing from recovery vs. OTA.
The LG G3 for example had an OTA just recently that broke rooting. It was fixed by a Dev, but that's the only update found in OTA.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using XDA Free mobile app

Once you root the phone you cannot receive OTA updates. However, you arent out of luck when updates are released. Because you have a custom recovery, its easy to just download the update file when its released and install it that way. Once the AOSP updates are uploaded from Google, its all yours. Most people who dont receive their OTA and dont have a custom recovery will typically install it on their own but using ADB.

simms22 said:
get and being able to apply are two differing things. unless you make it so you cant receive, then you will get an ota. problem is, that you will not be able to apply the update. 1. you can flash the factory img. 2. you can wait for someone to upload a flashable zip. 3. or you can do what most noobs do, and waste your time. what most noobs do is unroot, and flash the stock recovery, then wait for the update.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I read in one of RootSU's threads (I think) that as of Lollipop, OTA via ADB sideload is the only option to apply an update. Any thoughts?

wvcadle said:
I read in one of RootSU's threads (I think) that as of Lollipop, OTA via ADB sideload is the only option to apply an update. Any thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
no thoughts.
i just flash aosp hours after it appears there. or just wait for @rascarlo to add it to his rom, then i flash

HyperM3 said:
Because you have a custom recovery, its easy to just download the update file when its released and install it that way. Once the AOSP updates are uploaded from Google, its all yours. Most people who dont receive their OTA and dont have a custom recovery will typically install it on their own but using ADB.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
wvcadle said:
I read in one of RootSU's threads (I think) that as of Lollipop, OTA via ADB sideload is the only option to apply an update. Any thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
After Android 5.0, you can't sideload the OTA file if you have made any changes to the system partition. You need to be completely stock to take OTA. You can just download the new factory images and extract the various img files from it and just flash those manually in ADB, thereby overwriting your modified system partition with the new factory system image (you can skip overwriting the userdata if you want to preserve your data). No need to revert back to stock (old image) and then take OTA - unnecessary step.

HyperM3 said:
Once you root the phone you cannot receive OTA updates. However, you arent out of luck when updates are released. Because you have a custom recovery, its easy to just download the update file when its released and install it that way. Once the AOSP updates are uploaded from Google, its all yours. Most people who dont receive their OTA and dont have a custom recovery will typically install it on their own but using ADB.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I understand what your saying. Is there any difference between the OTA and AOSP? Like modem or kernel? I actually like the stock on this device. It seems like there are problems with the AOSP ROMS that are available now such as Netflix and Play Movies not working.
I'm coming from Samsung devices which were completely different as far as rooting and return to stock. I would go to SamMobile to get the stock firmware on my Galaxy S5. Where do I find stock firmware for the nexus?

gwojo22 said:
I understand what your saying. Is there any difference between the OTA and AOSP? Like modem or kernel? I actually like the stock on this device. It seems like there are problems with the AOSP ROMS that are available now such as Netflix and Play Movies not working.
I'm coming from Samsung devices which were completely different as far as rooting and return to stock. I would go to SamMobile to get the stock firmware on my Galaxy S5. Where do I find stock firmware for the nexus?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From google
https://developers.google.com/android/nexus/images

hlxanthus said:
From google
https://developers.google.com/android/nexus/images
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Click to collapse
How does one do this on a Mac? Could you perhaps link us? All I'm finding is guides for windows unfortunately

waqar.qu said:
How does one do this on a Mac? Could you perhaps link us? All I'm finding is guides for windows unfortunately
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You need to install ADB and fastboot. After that, you can use the 'fastboot' command directly from Terminal. I've found that the easiest way to update Lollipop on my Nexus 6 is to:
Download image from Google
Decompress the archive, AND the second archive which was contained within the first one. Note: The recovery, boot, and system images are in the second archive.
Open Terminal, change directory to the extracted folder, and run these commands (they skip overwriting the userdata partition):
fastboot flash bootloader <bootloader file name here>.img
fastboot flash radio <radio file name here>.img
fastboot reboot-bootloader (VERY IMPORTANT TO DO THIS STEP)
fastboot flash recovery recovery.img
fastboot flash boot boot.img
fastboot flash system system.img
fastboot reboot
You need to restore root at this point; you can use these instructions if you're unfamiliar with the procedure.

[Q] Returning to un-rooted 5.0 on XT1095?

I'm assuming that since I've rooted my Pure Edition that once the official 5.1 OTA comes it will fail to install just like 5.0-5.02 on my N7 did. I'm wondering how I can get back to unrooted without wiping the phone out (if that's possible). I can't seem to find the factory 5.0 image at the Motorola site so right now I'm assuming I'll have to install the 4.4..4 image and then let the OTA's roll in?
When I ran into this on my N7 other than rooting the only system installed app I had added in was better battery stats and removing root and getting rid of (at least I think I got rid of it) BBS the OTA failed still and I had to just flash the system.img from the factory image. On my XT1095 I only have SuperSU installed. I never installed BBS or any other new apps as system apps so maybe telling SuperSU to unroot and clean up will work?

Maybe I'm wrong, but I was under the impression you could still receive the OTA with root as long as you were on stock recovery, you would just lose root access in the process. I could be way off, though. I have always had TWRP on my rooted phones. I am pretty confident that you cannot switch back to stock recovery from TWRP without wiping. You can always use Helium Pro to back everything up. Unlike TiBu, it does not require root. Or you could just wait on someone to release a .zip of the OTA and flash it manually.

Paddington said:
Maybe I'm wrong, but I was under the impression you could still receive the OTA with root as long as you were on stock recovery, you would just lose root access in the process. I could be way off, though. I have always had TWRP on my rooted phones. I am pretty confident that you cannot switch back to stock recovery from TWRP without wiping. You can always use Helium Pro to back everything up. Unlike TiBu, it does not require root. Or you could just wait on someone to release a .zip of the OTA and flash it manually.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It used to be that way before 5.0. Something changed in 5.0+ and now if certain parts of the file system are off at all from stock, OTA will fail. That's why I mentioned the example of my Nexus 7 failing the update from 5.0 to 5.02. I don't know if Motorola is keeping the same kinds of checks as Nexus OTA's though. I do still have the stock recovery. If I need TWRP for something I just temporarily boot it with fastboot instead.

Any luck with this? I too would like to unroot. Still stock recovery.

flyinion said:
I can't seem to find the factory 5.0 image at the Motorola site
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Click to collapse
Here you go:
http://www.graffixnyc.com/motox.php
flyinion said:
so right now I'm assuming I'll have to install the 4.4..4 image and then let the OTA's roll in?:cyclops:
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Click to collapse
No, 4.4.4 won't boot with the 5.0 boot.img. And NEVER attempt to downgrade the bootloader (motoboot.img) or partition table (gpt.bin) of a Motorola Moto X. These are NOT Nexus devices.

Thanks very much! So...in an abundance of caution, I should be able to flash boot.img and that will get rid of root? Or system.img too? And neither of those affect my data? Edit: I am rooted on 22.21.11 XT1095 with stock recovery
Hmm. Not available on that site anymore but found it at http://motofirmware.center/files/file/76-tmo_xt1095_50_lxe2246-11_cid9_cfcxmlzip/

Mnemoch said:
Thanks very much! So...in an abundance of caution, I should be able to flash boot.img and that will get rid of root? Or system.img too? And neither of those affect my data? Edit: I am rooted on 22.21.11 XT1095 with stock recovery
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just flash 5.0 system.img that is all you need unless you flashed a custom kernel
Personally I would not take the OTA - I would use Motorola Device Manager to update. If you are rooted you can uninstall MotorolaOTA and then when people report the OTA is being pushed, flash system back to stock and then let MDM update you - you will have a copy of the 5.1 fxz on your computer then.

Thanks for the advice, I will check out MDM and yes, waiting for the OTA to be published officially.
That other link I posted for the full image file was corrupt, but I found http://graffixnyc.com/development/motox2014/lollipop/22.21.11/ which has system.img available. But this is huge! Does it seem correct to you by any chance? Should be able to flash without losing my data?
JulesJam said:
Just flash 5.0 system.img that is all you need unless you flashed a custom kernel
Personally I would not take the OTA - I would use Motorola Device Manager to update. If you are rooted you can uninstall MotorolaOTA and then when people report the OTA is being pushed, flash system back to stock and then let MDM update you - you will have a copy of the 5.1 fxz on your computer then.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Thanks guys, I did find the image and had downloaded it from that link a while back. I also picked up the mfastboot tool, but I'm not sure how to use it to flash a system.img. That download has a bunch of system.img_sparsechunk.n files where .n is a number from 0-7 but there's no "base" system.img file. Do I just tell it to flash file 0 and it will pick up the rest of them automatically?

flyinion said:
Thanks guys, I did find the image and had downloaded it from that link a while back. I also picked up the mfastboot tool, but I'm not sure how to use it to flash a system.img. That download has a bunch of system.img_sparsechunk.n files where .n is a number from 0-7 but there's no "base" system.img file. Do I just tell it to flash file 0 and it will pick up the rest of them automatically?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No you have to do each 1 at a time. Regular fastboot can flash the sparsechunks - you only need mfastboot if the image is a single file.
fastboot flash system sparsechunk0
then when it is done
fastboot flash system sparsechunk1
until you have flashed them all

JulesJam said:
No you have to do each 1 at a time. Regular fastboot can flash the sparsechunks - you only need mfastboot if the image is a single file.
fastboot flash system sparsechunk0
then when it is done
fastboot flash system sparsechunk1
until you have flashed them all
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah ok, I thought I needed mfastboot from what I was able to read around here. So the standard fastboot that comes with the android sdk can be used on the chunks?

Actually I think maybe I understand now. I read something a little bit ago about the difference between fastboot and mfastboot (Motorola Fastboot) and that the latter was created due to a file size limitation with the original fastboot. It didn't go into more detail than that. My assumption instantly was motorola was splitting the system image up into chunks and created that new fastboot to handle that. Seems it's the other way around? Google's fastboot can handle chunks and Moto's can handle a single image that is larger than what the standard fastboot can so they don't have to split it up in the first place?

Which download has chunks, the zip that we can't download any more or the system.img that I found? Should I try to extract it?
flyinion said:
Actually I think maybe I understand now. I read something a little bit ago about the difference between fastboot and mfastboot (Motorola Fastboot) and that the latter was created due to a file size limitation with the original fastboot. It didn't go into more detail than that. My assumption instantly was motorola was splitting the system image up into chunks and created that new fastboot to handle that. Seems it's the other way around? Google's fastboot can handle chunks and Moto's can handle a single image that is larger than what the standard fastboot can so they don't have to split it up in the first place?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Mnemoch said:
Which download has chunks, the zip that we can't download any more or the system.img that I found? Should I try to extract it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh, the one that doesn't work anymore. I downloaded it a few weeks ago. Not sure when it got taken offline since the link is there, but yeah I see the download doesn't work any longer. If you have just a single system.img and not a bunch of system.img_sparsechunk.n files then you have a different image.

Anyone unrooted since the OTA came out?

JulesJam said:
No you have to do each 1 at a time. Regular fastboot can flash the sparsechunks - you only need mfastboot if the image is a single file.
fastboot flash system sparsechunk0
then when it is done
fastboot flash system sparsechunk1
until you have flashed them all
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Anyone use this process to unroot stock 22.21.11?
And if so, did you get and take the 5.1 OTA or did you sideload it?
Thanks

eKeith said:
Anyone use this process to unroot stock 22.21.11?
And if so, did you get and take the 5.1 OTA or did you sideload it?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unrooting using this method does work!

Maybe unrelated, but in my confusion as to what's going on, is it at all possible to flash the 5.1 ota update over a custom rom? I'm currently on resurrection remix that's running on 5.1.1, but I really want to go back to stock. Thanks in advance.

dcdrew713 said:
Maybe unrelated, but in my confusion as to what's going on, is it at all possible to flash the 5.1 ota update over a custom rom? I'm currently on resurrection remix that's running on 5.1.1, but I really want to go back to stock. Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not possible. You have to flash the stock rom first, then take the ota.
Sent from my XT1095 using Tapatalk

Any idea what stock rom to use? 5.0? Sorry, I'm not the best with this stuff anymore, haha.

[Q]how can i fully exploit root features & receiving OTA updates?

Hello XDA,
Im quite sure this has already been asked on the forum but i couldn't find an answer.
I need some advise about my recently rooted Nexus 6. I want to fully enjoy from a custom recovery but i dont want to lose the option of receiving OTA updates to my phone.
What do you guys do so your nexus keeps getting the lastest of Android?
Can i use WugFresh's root toolkit to sideload OTA updates even when i have a custom recovery?
What other ways can i use to update Android?
Thanks,

No but you could use the tool kit to reload recovery and stock then take your OTA then reroot and reload TWRP.
And you can side load but it is important you understand exactly what you're doing. the kit does nothing more than you can from the command line it just tries to save you from yourself. it can be a help or hindrance. If you don't understand what's going on it will be the latter
Sent from my Benzo'd Google N6 on VZ

If you've got root and/or custom recovery, since Lollipop you can forget about OTA. And if you're gonna go through the hassle of flashing stock recovery and unrooting to get the OTA, you might as well just flash the latest factory image straight away. Just remember to leave out userdata.img so you can keep your data...

Didgeridoohan said:
If you've got root and/or custom recovery, since Lollipop you can forget about OTA. And if you're gonna go through the hassle of flashing stock recovery and unrooting to get the OTA, you might as well just flash the latest factory image straight away. Just remember to leave out userdata.img so you can keep your data...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed. OTA is overrated. If I was on T-Mobile or the factory image was not available. I would grab the radio and load what I wanted.
Now I am running the E radio and the i build on VZ
Sent from my Benzo'd Google N6 on VZ

Didgeridoohan said:
you might as well just flash the latest factory image straight away. Just remember to leave out userdata.img so you can keep your data...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
what do you mean flashing directly?
Can i use Simple recovery switcher to eaisly switch to stock recovery without unrooting and get the OTA update?

torecdude said:
what do you mean flashing directly?
Can i use Simple recovery switcher to eaisly switch to stock recovery without unrooting and get the OTA update?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Click the link in my signature for more information on OTA updates. No modifications of any kind to system can be made for an OTA to flash successfully.

Didgeridoohan said:
If you've got root and/or custom recovery, since Lollipop you can forget about OTA. And if you're gonna go through the hassle of flashing stock recovery and unrooting to get the OTA, you might as well just flash the latest factory image straight away. Just remember to leave out userdata.img so you can keep your data...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Evolution_Freak said:
Click the link in my signature for more information on OTA updates. No modifications of any kind to system can be made for an OTA to flash successfully.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you, your thread as helped me alot. But i didnt understand why did you posted OTA files that are flashable with TWRP altough we cant update lollipop with rooted devices?
Guess im going to have to unroot and flash stock recovery to OTA update directly from google or use a pure shamu rom.

Updating via OTA on a Nexus is an undesirable method IMO. As mentioned previously, if you download and flash the factory images, you avoid the potential update failures in an OTA from modified stock parameters. As for recovery, you don't need to flash a custom recovery, you can simply boot a custom recovery from the PC using fastboot and having the recovery image of choice in your platform tools.
fastboot boot name_of_recovery_image_here.img
I don't flash from the device any more. Keeps me out of trouble. Being connected to the PC helps remind me to move a copy of my backup to the PC before flashing.

torecdude said:
Thank you, your thread as helped me alot. But i didnt understand why did you posted OTA files that are flashable with TWRP altough we cant update lollipop with rooted devices?
Guess im going to have to unroot and flash stock recovery to OTA update directly from google or use a pure shamu rom.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I put the link to that thread in mine as a quick way for people who are rooted/unlocked and running a custom recovery to find. Those are not the "official" way of updating. They work because someone here put the time in to make them work for unlocked/rooted users. No, you can't use an "official" OTA process if you've altered your device but that method uses TWRP to flash just like you were flashing a custom ROM.
I'm glad my thread has helped you! Since I'm not a developer yet, it is my sole purpose here to help users with anything I can. So a comment like that is very reassuring that I'm on the right path.

Rooted Nexus 6 and updating to android 6.0

Hello all,
i rooted my nexus 6 and now that android 6.0 has been release i can't install the upgrade. My phone shows there is a system upgrade available. I have clicked to download the upgrade. Now its showing that a system upgrade has been downloaded and verified. Once i click on install update, it reboots to the teamwin. And to be honest, i don't really know if its taking the updated or how i can upgrade if possible.
can someone help me please?!!!!

Same answer every time. You can't get the OTA if you're rooted.
Options are :
- flash factory image (see sticky roll-up in general)
- flash a pre-rooted zip from recovery.

if you dont want to lose your data. just flash system.img, boot.img and recovery.img of your current build.
you can extract the images from the factory image...

Not only that, but by attempting to apply the OTA on a rooted device you risk bootlooping it, as I did with my Nexus 10 a couple of years ago.
Your best bet is to use Wugfresh's Nexus Root Toolkit (NRT). Since this is a major upgrade you can't use the "no wipe" option, so you'll lose any data that you haven't backed up first - photos, etc. - so do that before you do anything. Also take a TWRP backup of your current ROM and copy it to your PC so that at least you can recover to where you are now. NRT also has a backup option.
If you tell NRT that your current ROM is MRA58K (Android 6.0) and then tell it to flash stock and unroot, it will pull down all the required files before applying them to your Nexus. You can then re-root if you want to. It's a beautifully-engineered program, pretty well foolproof if you follow the instructions and choose the right ROM for your device.

dahawthorne said:
Not only that, but by attempting to apply the OTA on a rooted device you risk bootlooping it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It cant get to that stage any more.

Thats good news. What changed? Ever since that experience I haven't even tried an OTA. I was abroad at the time and lost the use of my Nexus 10 for most of the holiday.

dahawthorne said:
Thats good news. What changed? Ever since that experience I haven't even tried an OTA. I was abroad at the time and lost the use of my Nexus 10 for most of the holiday.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OTA zips used to check individual files in system to ensure they matched before updating. It checks either md5 or sha hash. It didn't take account of every file or even files added by the users. so upgrading could cause issues.
Now, it checks the md5/hash of the entire system, which means all files are taken into account.. It will not flash of anything is changed.

Thanks - happy to roll you over to 19,400...

OTA Security Update on custom recovery

Hi guys, I'm running stock rooted with Xposed and I've got a custom recovery. Is it safe to just flash the OTA security update from TWRP?
I tried asking in an update thread and in general Q&A but I've gotten no help. Thanks

DanielWEWO said:
Hi guys, I'm running stock rooted with Xposed and I've got a custom recovery. Is it safe to just flash the OTA security update from TWRP?
I tried asking in an update thread and in general Q&A but I've gotten no help. Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you can try, it wont work, but you can do it without harm
and if it did work, youd lose xposed and root.

You can try with flashfire app.

Damn. So I have to just completely reinstall in order to update?

DanielWEWO said:
Damn. So I have to just completely reinstall in order to update?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
or install a rom that updates it as well, like pure nexus..

DanielWEWO said:
Damn. So I have to just completely reinstall in order to update?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Or just flash the partitions (from the latest factory image) that changed (leave userdata as it is), and then reroot. Except for Xposed, I do this almost each month - takes me about 10 minutes (not counting the first boot that takes a while)

jj14 said:
Or just flash the partitions (from the latest factory image) that changed (leave userdata as it is), and then reroot. Except for Xposed, I do this almost each month - takes me about 10 minutes (not counting the first boot that takes a while)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is this safe? I remember doing something like this with my galaxy nexus back in the day. Would you mind writing a brief step by step? I don't need individual commands, just what would be the proper order to flash which parts, etc.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/nexus-6/general/guide-flash-factory-images-nexus-6shamu-t2954008
This (linked above) is the entire process - just select the parts you need. If your bootloader is unlocked (I assume it is), just skip that part.
In step 5, use method 2 and only flash the necessary partitions.

Yeah, don't use flashall. Nobody actually uses it, not even Google, so usually they don't realize if it's broken.