Before I install xdabebbs latest and greatest and want to confirm the steps I need to take before I pull the trigger. I have installed new roms on other phones in the past but this is my first go on my G2.
My phone install is getting laggy and is out of date security wise. I'm currently stock on 24A but rooted so i could freeze the bloat, TWRP 2.8.6.0 installed.
I chose his rom based on comments that it's stable and working well. I'm looking for a debloated, daily driver 'official' ROM here, in my experience with other phones these are the most stable and best performing. In posts I've read xdabebbs rom has been praised for being just that.
From what I have read I think I simply need to update to 39A (via twrp) then flash following the steps in xdabebbs thread. Is this correct?
I ask because one or three posts I've read make me think I may need to flash 27A or something similar before going to 39A.
I feel silly asking but I'd rather not brick the thing.
Related
Hey guys, I'm a lurker and wanted to ask a few questions before proceeding.
I've had my bionic since November and everything is pretty much smooth. Today I did a root on it and all went silky smooth. I even downloaded a game cheating app that required root to test stuff out, seemed interesting.
So now, I'm thinking of trying some custom roms. I know a while ago, installing certain roms or updates made changes to the phone that would prevent it from getting new OTA. My question is, when using Safestrap, will installing a rom there make changes to the phone in a way that would prevent it from getting a new OTA like the ICS update maybe in the future?
dethzero said:
Hey guys, I'm a lurker and wanted to ask a few questions before proceeding.
I've had my bionic since November and everything is pretty much smooth. Today I did a root on it and all went silky smooth. I even downloaded a game cheating app that required root to test stuff out, seemed interesting.
So now, I'm thinking of trying some custom roms. I know a while ago, installing certain roms or updates made changes to the phone that would prevent it from getting new OTA. My question is, when using Safestrap, will installing a rom there make changes to the phone in a way that would prevent it from getting a new OTA like the ICS update maybe in the future?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All custom ROMs have OTA updates disabled. Bionic ROMs are built from heavy modifications of existing Moto framework, and somehow forcing in an OTA update would break the hell out of them.
That said, OTA updates are built with the assumption that you are completely stock. OTA updates fail if you try to apply them on a system with a custom ROM installed.
Also, there's a good chance that OTA updates will break root if you happen to be running stock-rooted. Safestrap is kind of a way of having insurance against situations like that so you can restore to pre-OTA or just install a new ROM entirely.
Safestrap installs your 2nd or "safe" rom in the preinstall partition. And most stock updates contain a preinstall patch. So even when booted on your "unsafe" or stock side, there is a good chance you will have to reflash the preinstall image for the update to succeed.
Make sure you read the instructions on how to SafeStrap. I didn't and found myself reinstalling the OS. If I had read the directions first I would not have had to.
Hey everyone,
I know that a lot of methods for rooting and installing a bootloader are specific to a certain stock rom for phones. As such, this worried me, since I recently updated my Verizon LG G2 to 4.4.2. I want to root and install cyanogenmod, but I am worried that using existing methods will brick my phone. Are these fears warranted? Is there a recommended way to do this?
Thanks for any input
Mohdoo said:
Hey everyone,
I know that a lot of methods for rooting and installing a bootloader are specific to a certain stock rom for phones. As such, this worried me, since I recently updated my Verizon LG G2 to 4.4.2. I want to root and install cyanogenmod, but I am worried that using existing methods will brick my phone. Are these fears warranted? Is there a recommended way to do this?
Thanks for any input
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Rooting the OTA is easy, installing a recovery requires downgrading some stuff. The easiest thing to do is root again via ioroot25 then use AutoRec to install TWRP, it does all the things needed so a recovery can be flashed automatically.
Mohdoo said:
Hey everyone,
I know that a lot of methods for rooting and installing a bootloader are specific to a certain stock rom for phones. As such, this worried me, since I recently updated my Verizon LG G2 to 4.4.2. I want to root and install cyanogenmod, but I am worried that using existing methods will brick my phone. Are these fears warranted? Is there a recommended way to do this?
Thanks for any input
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As long as you take your time, read carefully and don't rush you'll be fine. Here's the thread to root and recovery http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2713954
CM for VS980 (verizon) isn't based on 4.4 source yet, it's based on 4.2 so you can't flash it anyway unless you want to downgrade. It runs like crap and you'll find no support in the thread from the developers. I would go with Mahdi if you want CM like AOSP with a grip of customization and loads of support. That's what I'm on and it's pretty badass. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2590700 There's the thread for Mahdi.
LG G2 ftw
Im concerned that activating the phone on 12b will force an update to kit kat.
I want to root and rom this thing tonight, then activate once thats completed. Will I run into any issues doing this?
planned to follow this post to do this.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2623527
is there an easier way?
Thanks in advance! Looking forward to being active round here.
You could just refuse the update once you activate, it won't ask again for another hour. You should have plenty of time to root and ROM in that time. But why not OTA update to 24A, root with IOroot25, then use Auto-Rec to flash the JB aboot and recovery. Its just as easy that way. Plus you're updated to the new baseband/tz/Rpm. From there you can flash any of the 24A ROMs. LG based or the new aosp ROMs with 4.4 kernels like Mahdi, PA, or the CM11 build in the VZW development section
JRJ442 said:
You could just refuse the update once you activate, it won't ask again for another hour. You should have plenty of time to root and ROM in that time. But why not OTA update to 24A, root with IOroot25, then use Auto-Rec to flash the JB aboot and recovery. Its just as easy that way. Plus you're updated to the new baseband/tz/Rpm. From there you can flash any of the 24A ROMs. LG based or the new aosp ROMs with 4.4 kernels like Mahdi, PA, or the CM11 build in the VZW development section
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No real reason. Just out of habit I've avoided OTAs. I thought they might patch something to not allow this on the newest update.
Do you have a link to the Auto-rec? Im not sure what that is and want to read up on it. That does seem like a better option since I'll have the newest radios and such. My search bar has been showing only 50% of the time so I've had difficulty searching.
edit:
Is this auto-rec you were referring to? it is an APK.. I just install this using an APK installer from the market?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2715496
ddurandSGS3 said:
No real reason. Just out of habit I've avoided OTAs. I thought they might patch something to not allow this on the newest update.
Do you have a link to the Auto-rec? Im not sure what that is and want to read up on it. That does seem like a better option since I'll have the newest radios and such. My search bar has been showing only 50% of the time so I've had difficulty searching.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Avoiding OTAs is a good habit. I commend you. Samsung taught us that. Lol. We had some issues at first too like Loki being blocked and all. But devs found a workaround. Here's the link for Auto-Rec http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2715496 I haven't personally used it but know quite a few who have with success.
JRJ442 said:
Avoiding OTAs is a good habit. I commend you. Samsung taught us that. Lol. We had some issues at first too like Loki being blocked and all. But devs found a workaround. Here's the link for Auto-Rec http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2715496 I haven't personally used it but know quite a few who have with success.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah the S3 was a nightmare lol.
switched to the HTC one and it was great but its time to move on. Thanks for all the help. Its nice to be on a device that doesnt use fastboot/adb. I hate using that.
ddurandSGS3 said:
Yeah the S3 was a nightmare lol.
switched to the HTC one and it was great but its time to move on. Thanks for all the help. Its nice to be on a device that doesnt use fastboot/adb. I hate using that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I came from a S3, so I feel your pain. Lol
Rooting 12b and installing recovery, then flashing the 24a bootstack is hella easier and less time consuming in my opinion.
LG G2 ftw
I was in the same boat. Bought two VS980 and one wasn't activated yet due to other person being on vacation. All I did was take out my SIM card and put it in the other phone so it gets passed the activation screen and skip all the Google logins.
It did indicate that KK was available and I just skipped the update since I was on 12B. So my steps were to root with ioroot25, pushed loki_tool using adb, pushed update recovery with the premodified 12B TWRP 2.6.3.3 using adb.
Since I went with XDABBEB modified debloated stock, I copied the bootstack and ROM using MTP. Used adb to boot into recovery and followed the directions indicated on his ROM.
I have had my G2 for about a year. I had rooted it and never took an update after 11A. I was happy with the way my phone worked and read some of the stories where people were not happy with KitKat.
Unfortunately, the touch went out on my screen and I had to get a replacement. I successfully flashed my old one back to stock and removed root w/out a problem.
Now my problem is this:
The new phone came with 25B. I understand there is no way to root this version. The phone is already wanting me to update to 26A. What I would like to do is rollback someway, root, then take updates. I can already see my phone signal is not as strong as it used to be.
My questions are:
1. Can I rollback to an earlier version and root via one of the IORoot options? (TOT it like I did my old phone)
2. What version would I need to rollback to to accomplish this.
3. Could someone point to the correct thread to do this?
4. Finally, I see it seems to be ok to take factory updates if you are rooted only. I am not interested in custom roms. I use Titanium Backup to freeze bloatware and would like like to be able to use it again. I have quite a bit I need to restore.
I have done some searching but it seems the G2 section has changed a lot since I was last here. I do appreciate any help and/or pitfalls you can warn me about. I do have the LG Flash Tool 1.8 installed and am familiar with how to install the needed TOT file.
Thanks....
Oaklands said:
I have had my G2 for about a year. I had rooted it and never took an update after 11A. I was happy with the way my phone worked and read some of the stories where people were not happy with KitKat.
Unfortunately, the touch went out on my screen and I had to get a replacement. I successfully flashed my old one back to stock and removed root w/out a problem.
Now my problem is this:
The new phone came with 25B. I understand there is no way to root this version. The phone is already wanting me to update to 26A. What I would like to do is rollback someway, root, then take updates. I can already see my phone signal is not as strong as it used to be.
My questions are:
1. Can I rollback to an earlier version and root via one of the IORoot options? (TOT it like I did my old phone)
2. What version would I need to rollback to to accomplish this.
3. Could someone point to the correct thread to do this?
4. Finally, I see it seems to be ok to take factory updates if you are rooted only. I am not interested in custom roms. I use Titanium Backup to freeze bloatware and would like like to be able to use it again. I have quite a bit I need to restore.
I have done some searching but it seems the G2 section has changed a lot since I was last here. I do appreciate any help and/or pitfalls you can warn me about. I do have the LG Flash Tool 1.8 installed and am familiar with how to install the needed TOT file.
Thanks....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can kdz or tot back and root from there. Root sticks through 25b but not 26a update.
Thank you. I will go ahead and update to the 25b then.
Hi, First off, I'm super rusty in the custom rom and kernell scene so explain things as easily as you can please.
Now, I have a moto x XT1053, the unlocked variant that they sold on the moto website that came with a net10 chip.
The thing is that I obviously unlocked the bootloader and installed the TWRP recovery. I have (almost) stock android and by that I mean stock with Xposed. I want to know if any of you guys could point me in the right direction, I mean, do I install the OTA update or do I return my phone to stock, and if it's the later, How do I return my phone to stock to do a proper OTA update?
Thanks in advance!
I have the same phone and was in pretty much your situation, including being rusty in flashing roms, kernels and such. I went with the OTA and am very glad I did. My subjective impression is that it's faster and at least as stable.
I thought my phone was close-to-stock, as I had removed some stuff (Xposed, notably) a while back to receive the 4.4.2 OTA. But the new Lollipop OTA wouldn't install, so I took the bull by the horns and flashed stock system.img that I got from Motorola's official firmware repository. I had to request access, and it took about 12 hours for that to come through.
After I downloaded the firmware zip file, I unpacked it and located the system.img file. Search on Google or this forum for the way to flash an img file to your phone, if you've forgotten (as I had). When I have time later today, I'll try to post a link to some clear instructions. I don't want to try to tell you from memory, as this is something I do about once or twice year since I got a Moto X (I tinkered a *whole* lot more when I had an HTC Sensation, but I've decided that if I want to keep my wife, I'd better stop playing with my mobile phone.)
I did this at the advice of a Motorola technician, who said the "most definitive way to return to unroot" was to flash stock system.img for 4.4.4. (I was part of last week's U.S. soak test, so Moto techs were handling questions from people like me who were wrestling with the OTA.)
I had worried that I might lose apps and data by flashing system.img, but I didn't lose a thing. I *did*, though, lose root, and I haven't re-rooted yet. Before I root, I'm waiting for the stock Lollipop 5.1 firmware to be made available on the Motorola repository so that I can have a backup of stock recovery.img.
Meanwhile, I'm enjoying Lollipop, which is like having a new phone.
varxx said:
I have the same phone and was in pretty much your situation, including being rusty in flashing roms, kernels and such. I went with the OTA and am very glad I did. My subjective impression is that it's faster and at least as stable.
I thought my phone was close-to-stock, as I had removed some stuff (Xposed, notably) a while back to receive the 4.4.2 OTA. But the new Lollipop OTA wouldn't install, so I took the bull by the horns and flashed stock system.img that I got from Motorola's official firmware repository. I had to request access, and it took about 12 hours for that to come through.
After I downloaded the firmware zip file, I unpacked it and located the system.img file. Search on Google or this forum for the way to flash an img file to your phone, if you've forgotten (as I had). When I have time later today, I'll try to post a link to some clear instructions. I don't want to try to tell you from memory, as this is something I do about once or twice year since I got a Moto X (I tinkered a *whole* lot more when I had an HTC Sensation, but I've decided that if I want to keep my wife, I'd better stop playing with my mobile phone.)
I did this at the advice of a Motorola technician, who said the "most definitive way to return to unroot" was to flash stock system.img for 4.4.4. (I was part of last week's U.S. soak test, so Moto techs were handling questions from people like me who were wrestling with the OTA.)
I had worried that I might lose apps and data by flashing system.img, but I didn't lose a thing. I *did*, though, lose root, and I haven't re-rooted yet. Before I root, I'm waiting for the stock Lollipop 5.1 firmware to be made available on the Motorola repository so that I can have a backup of stock recovery.img.
Meanwhile, I'm enjoying Lollipop, which is like having a new phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So, should I:
Delete GravityBox and Xposed
Install the .img file found within the zip for the Moto X dev Edition
Then I'll be able to install the OTA withouth losing data?
mundofeliz said:
So, should I:
Delete GravityBox and Xposed
Install the .img file found within the zip for the Moto X dev Edition
Then I'll be able to install the OTA withouth losing data?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The sequence you describe worked for me, assuming "deleting" GravityBox and Xposed is the preferred way of removing them. I can't remember.
The .img file to flash is system.img. You need to know how to get to fast boot/bootloader mode and perform the flash, of course.
If your experience is like mine, after receiving and installing the OTA, you'll have Lollipop without having lost any apps or data.
But you may want to wait for someone whose more up on this procedure to weigh in. When I updated, I proceeded as if I might lose all my apps and data, so I was pleasantly surprised.
BTW, I've since re-rooted, and I haven't had any problems. It's reassuring that the 5.1 ROM image is now available officially from Moto and elsewhere (info courtesy of dtg7: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=61800775&postcount=11).
I'll do a Nandroid just in case. I'll do the steps above too, since all I've done is unlock bootloader, root and xposed I think this'll work for me. Kinda did only that originally for that reason but that was sooooo long ago. And also because the Moto X is such an amazing phone to begin with, I never saw the need to install other roms. Did you flash just the system.img, the recovery.img or both? I requested the firmware from moto and they approved but in the meantime I also downloaded the original too from filefactory, the exact same firmware I'm running (without modifications I mean.
mundofeliz said:
I'll do a Nandroid just in case. I'll do the steps above too, since all I've done is unlock bootloader, root and xposed I think this'll work for me. Kinda did only that originally for that reason but that was sooooo long ago. And also because the Moto X is such an amazing phone to begin with, I never saw the need to install other roms. Did you flash just the system.img, the recovery.img or both? I requested the firmware from moto and they approved but in the meantime I also downloaded the original too from filefactory, the exact same firmware I'm running (without modifications I mean.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
IIRC, you'll need to do the Nandroid backup before you unroot, right?
I just flashed system.img. Won't that effectively restore the stock recovery? EDIT: According to the readme.txt file bundled in the stock ROM's zip file, recovery.img is flashed separately from system.img, so system.img will *not* restore the stock recovery.
I always feel safer running official firmware from Moto. For one thing, the labeling on the Moto dl site is very explicit, so you know exactly what you're getting.
I agree that the Moto X is a cool enough phone with a stock ROM that there's little need for custom ROMs. I was a flash-aholic when I had an HTC Sensation. But the Moto X pretty much has everything I need. Under KitKat, I did use XPosed to kill the Google search box, but otherwise I've been happy with the stock ROMs.
Oh, and I usually eventually run a custom recovery (TWRP) so I'll have more boot options. But I don't see that as essential now. I find I'm actually using my phone more than tweaking it, which is a change from previous phones.