Database Develop

[Q] 5.1 OTA Update Boots into Recovery

I have never done an OTA update as when I first got into Android I was flashing ROMs nearly every week and never waited for updates just flashed a new ROM, however when I got my Nexus 6 I decided to just root and stick with stock.
I woke this morning and the 5.1 update was available but when I download it and select install and reboot it boots into recovery (TWRP) and I can't see where the download is - I presume I am having to flash it myself? So I have to reboot and it says I am up-to-date with 5.0.1 and then an hour later the download is available again and I go through the same process.
Can anyone help, tell me where i am going wrong.

I had same issue after relocking bootloader and this worked for me and hopefully it may work for you. Put phone in fastboot mode.(hold power + volume down) then use fastboot command fastboot -w

How do you define stock if you have TWRP. LOL
Sent from my Nexus 6

DebianDog said:
How do you define stock if you have TWRP. LOL
Sent from my Nexus 6
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Click to collapse
Well OK stock except for the recovery. I presumed you would know what I meant. I will ensure my posts are word prefect next time.

md1008 said:
I had same issue after relocking bootloader and this worked for me and hopefully it may work for you. Put phone in fastboot mode.(hold power + volume down) then use fastboot command fastboot -w
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Click to collapse
Thanks I'll give it a go

Same issue here. Let us know how you make out.

Hate to do a "me too" post, but I've had the exact same experience.
I'll wait to see whether the fastboot -w method works before I do anything else.
I did try to find the (410.4Mb) download on my N6, but I suspect that the failed update must have deleted it, as it's asking me to download it again.

fastboot -w just wiped userdata so needed to do a fresh install and was still at 5.0.1. So just had to install my backup again to get back to where I was this morning.

Ouch! Sorry to hear it (though glad that you had a backup) - thanks for saving the rest of us from trying that particular route.
I'm still looking for a way to get to 5.1.

You can't do an OTA update with a NON-STOCK recovery.
You can however, if your bootloader is unlocked, download the factory image, extract it, and flash the system.img, bootloader.img, radio.img, cache.img etc...use fastboot to flash those.
Or you can fastboot flash the stock recovery, and take the OTA again.

Thanks.
I assume that I can also use Nexus Root Toolkit to "Flash Stock + Unroot" (without wiping the device), then take the OTA update to 5.1, and then use NRT to Root again?
Just doing a full backup at the moment before I start playing!

UPDATE: The above worked fine.
I started with 5.0.1, rooted, unlocked Bootloader
Then, in Nexus Root Toolkit, I used:
1) Backup (using Create Nandroid Backup w/Custom Recovery option)
2) Flash Stock + Unroot (using No Wipe Mode. I also had to enable Force Flash Mode)
Then, on the phone, accept the OTA 5.1 update, which downloaded and installed first time.
Back to NRT, and:
3) Root and also flash Custom Recovery
I ended up with 5.1, rooted, unlocked Bootloader (and all my apps and data were untouched).

Since doing the method recommended in the second post the OTA update hasn't been available on my device?

Have you tried rebooting the phone?
Or going into Settings > About Phone > System Updates > Check for Updates
It's always possible (if unlikely) that Google have stopped the roll-out to fix some of the issues that people have been reporting with SmartLock, etc?

Philip said:
Have you tried rebooting the phone?
Or going into Settings > About Phone > System Updates > Check for Updates
It's always possible (if unlikely) that Google have stopped the roll-out to fix some of the issues that people have been reporting with SmartLock, etc?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes and yes done that too

Philip said:
UPDATE: The above worked fine.
I started with 5.0.1, rooted, unlocked Bootloader
Then, in Nexus Root Toolkit, I used:
1) Backup (using Create Nandroid Backup w/Custom Recovery option)
2) Flash Stock + Unroot (using No Wipe Mode. I also had to enable Force Flash Mode)
Then, on the phone, accept the OTA 5.1 update, which downloaded and installed first time.
Back to NRT, and:
3) Root and also flash Custom Recovery
I ended up with 5.1, rooted, unlocked Bootloader (and all my apps and data were untouched).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why did you take the scenic route? This is by far the longest method to do that.
Instead of flashing stock with nrt, why not just flash stock normally? That way you could have just flashed 5.1 without having to take any OTA...
And further, if you wanted to keep recovery, why not just flash the system and boot image keeping everything else as it is? Then just flash SuperSU from twrp?
2 commands
fastboot flash system system.img
fastboot flash boot boot.img
Boot into recovery and flash root.
Much quicker than the method you used.

rootSU said:
Why did you take the scenic route? This is by far the longest method to do that.
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Click to collapse
Well, my fist step was a backup, which you conveniently left out - you may be happy to update your phone without backing it up first, but I chose not to take that chance.
Apart from that, it's about the same number of steps - I was happy to take 5.1 OTA (which meant that I was certain that it was the correct version for my phone), and Nexus Root Toolkit is a much nicer piece of software to use than fastboot. I know that some people don't like NRT because they feel that it demystifies the black arts of updating and it threatens their voodoo status, but I find it an excellent piece of software and recommend it to you.
In the meantime, while you had to go and find the appropriate system.img and the appropriate boot.img and download them before fastbooting them, these were steps that I was able to avoid whilst enjoying my "scenic" journey.
So you take the high road and I'll take the low road - but I reckon that it took me no longer to update my phone than it took you to update yours!

Philip said:
Well, my fist step was a backup, which you conveniently left out - you may be happy to update your phone without backing it up first, but I chose not to take that chance.
Apart from that, it's about the same number of steps - I was happy to take 5.1 OTA (which meant that I was certain that it was the correct version for my phone), and Nexus Root Toolkit is a much nicer piece of software to use than fastboot. I know that some people don't like NRT because they feel that it demystifies the black arts of updating and it threatens their voodoo status, but I find it an excellent piece of software and recommend it to you.
In the meantime, while you had to go and find the appropriate system.img and the appropriate boot.img and download them before fastbooting them, these were steps that I was able to avoid whilst enjoying my "scenic" journey.
So you take the high road and I'll take the low road - but I reckon that it took me no longer to update my phone than it took you to update yours!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It took you loads longer haha.

rootSU said:
It took you loads longer haha.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And that bothered you so much that you had to tell the whole world about it? Wow!

Philip said:
And that bothered you so much that you had to tell the whole world about it? Wow!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To be honest no. The route you took was so long that I thought you just didn't have a clue about what you were doing so I thought I'd help out and let you know the quicker version... And if anyone reads your post and thinks its the best way to do it, well now they have some contrast.
What bothers me is your attitude however. But I don't care enough to get into an argument with people who would rather waste their time and the people they try to help than listen to constructive criticism.
But yeah, your way is needlessly long so I hope people don't take your lead.

Persistent root without installing TWRP

I used this method after I unlocked with sunshine to remove king-root and replace it with SuperSU. It worked great for me. Kingroot is gone and i have a permanent root and SuperSU installed. I was wondering if there is someone else who has unlocked their boot-loader and not yet installed TWRP who can give it a shot to see if my expereince was a fluke or the norm. It would be a nice addition for people who want root but don't want TWRP installed for one reason or another.
I used the second link in his post.
Replace_Kinguser_with_SuperSU-v2.4.zip
http://www.w0lfdroid.com/2015/05/How-to-Remove-Replace-KingUser-KingRoot-with-SuperSU.html
Thank you

HT123 said:
I used this method after I unlocked with sunshine to remove king-root and replace it with SuperSU. It worked great for me. Kingroot is gone and i have a permanent root and SuperSU installed. I was wondering if there is someone else who has unlocked their boot-loader and not yet installed TWRP who can give it a shot to see if my expereince was a fluke or the norm. It would be a nice addition for people who want root but don't want TWRP installed for one reason or another.
I used the second link in his post.
Replace_Kinguser_with_SuperSU-v2.4.zip
http://www.w0lfdroid.com/2015/05/How-to-Remove-Replace-KingUser-KingRoot-with-SuperSU.html
Thank you
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I previously used the above method you posted to permanent root an LG Transpyre on 5.1.1 that did not have the bootloader unlocked. Glad to see someone else knows about it. :good:
Maybe it will work on a locked bootloader Turbo for those who don't want to unlock their phones but just want root.

classic757 said:
I previously used the above method you posted to permanent root an LG Transpyre on 5.1.1 that did not have the bootloader unlocked. Glad to see someone else knows about it. :good:
Maybe it will work on a locked bootloader Turbo for those who don't want to unlock their phones but just want root.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can not unlock booloader root? I do not have a visa. $ 25 is a huge amount to me

Thành67890 said:
Can not unlock booloader root? I do not have a visa. $ 25 is a huge amount to me
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think that is the case.
What I said was you don't need to install a custom recovery.
Give it a shot report back though. Worst that can happen is it does not work.

HT123 said:
I don't think that is the case.
What I said was you don't need to install a custom recovery.
Give it a shot report back though. Worst that can happen is it does not work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed. I was just pointing out that I was able to use kingroot and wolfdroid's method to permanent root a phone (albeit an lg phone) that had a locked bootloader. Other people also had success doing that as well on other brands of phones. Will it work on a Turbo with a locked bootloader? IDK. However I would not be surprised if it does. I had a Turbo with a locked bootloader but sold mine else I would try it myself.

classic757 said:
Agreed. I was just pointing out that I was able to use kingroot and wolfdroid's method to permanent root a phone (albeit an lg phone) that had a locked bootloader. Other people also had success doing that as well on other brands of phones. Will it work on a Turbo with a locked bootloader? IDK. However I would not be surprised if it does. I had a Turbo with a locked bootloader but sold mine else I would try it myself.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree, i apologize if it it came off otherwise. I think the question is if the sunshine process removes the protection and allow writing to the system partition. I unlocked prior to making my root permanent so i cant test again but am very interested to see if it works with a locked boot loader

HT123 said:
I agree, i apologize if it it came off otherwise. I think the question is if the sunshine process removes the protection and allow writing to the system partition. I unlocked prior to making my root permanent so i cant test again but am very interested to see if it works with a locked boot loader
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My thinking it that it probably will work because temp root can be obtained on a locked bootloader Turbo with kingroot. It's just that kingroot is unstable and often times does not survive reboot. However, wolfdroid's method is similar to using SuperSu Me(or SuperSume). It removes kingroot and replaces it with SuperSu, which of course is more stable and survives reboot.

classic757 said:
My thinking it that it probably will work because temp root can be obtained on a locked bootloader Turbo with kingroot. It's just that kingroot is unstable and often times does not survive reboot. However, wolfdroid's method is similar to using SuperSu Me(or SuperSume). It removes kingroot and replaces it with SuperSu, which of course is more stable and survives reboot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If security is disabled and the system can write to the system partition it will work, if not, then I assume Sunshine disables it in the process of unlocking the boot-loader. Hopefully someone with a stock Turbo who was going to unlock anyway can verify.

Not sure why you wouldn't want a custom recovery. With custom recovery you can make backups of your entire phone image in case you screw something up. Many times in the past I've flashed something that didn't work as I expected. And with ROOT, if you flash something you can screw up something system-related. Very easy to boot back into TWRP recovery and restore the previous day's backup I had made. Like a time machine to erase your mistake.
And it's FREE. Doesn't cost anything.
Yes, with Titanium Backup (a powerful app) you can restore previous versions of an another app. (I choose to save 3 days worth of apps in Titanium Backup.) But with a TWRP custom recovery backup (also called a "nandroid"), you can save and restore the ENTIRE phone, including all system apps, all settings, everything. Very powerful, useful tool.
I wouldn't have a rooted phone without custom recovery. That's one of the main reasons I always buy phones where I can unlock the bootloader -- to install custom recovery (like TWRP or CW) and root.
If you screw something up and come asking for help, the first thing someone is going to ask is, "Did you make a backup?" And they are talking about a custom recovery backup.

ChazzMatt said:
Not sure why you wouldn't want a custom recovery. With custom recovery you can make backups of your entire phone image in case you screw something up. Many times in the past I've flashed something that didn't work as I expected. And with ROOT, if you flash something you can screw up something system-related. Very easy to boot back into TWRP recovery and restore the previous day's backup I had made. Like a time machine to erase your mistake.
And it's FREE. Doesn't cost anything.
Yes, with Titanium Backup (a powerful app) you can restore previous versions of an another app. (I choose to save 3 days worth of apps in Titanium Backup.) But with a TWRP custom recovery backup (also called a "nandroid"), you can save and restore the ENTIRE phone, including all system apps, all settings, everything. Very powerful, useful tool.
I wouldn't have a rooted phone without custom recovery. That's one of the main reasons I always buy phones where I can unlock the bootloader -- to install custom recovery (like TWRP or CW) and root.
If you screw something up and come asking for help, the first thing someone is going to ask is, "Did you make a backup?" And they are talking about a custom recovery backup.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As far as why... some people like chocolate... some people like vanilla. The question is not the merits of a custom recovery, it is if one is required to have persistent root on the phone.
I personally don't care about a custom recovery. I prefer the stock rom at this point because without fail most custom roms have some minor bug that inevitably annoys the sh*t out of me. I want root because i want an ad blocker. I want an ad blocker because I use my phone as a proxy for web traffic on a computer with network monitoring software and i would prefer my internet traffic not be visible to my employer. There is zero reason for a custom recovery to do what i want to do.

Chainfire systemless root For Android 6.0 - OTA?

Hi,
I'm using Chainfire systemless root for Android 6. Can I install OTA updates without unrooting or is it better to unroot anyway? Do I habve to reinstall the boot image after an OTA Update?

You should be able to update, assuming nothing modified /system.
I am unsure whether you need to reflash SuperSU after updating. I would assume yes, but ???
You should really go read the threads in this forum. Asking questions about topics that are already answered is a forum faux pax. Don't be a noob.

Ok, I'll put myself out there as a noob then.
I've read everything that I can find about whether systemless SuperSU will allow OTA updates or not. I find no definitive answer. It's "maybe" (as above) or "You'll have to reinstall stock recovery" (which doesn't sound to me like a transparent simple OTA update) - all pretty vague and I see no answer from anyone who has actually seen it work on their own device.
So can some kind soul please point me to the apparently obvious definitive yes/no answer that they've found and I can't?
Or anyone who has systemless SuperSU installed and has seen ***with their own eyes*** the "System updated downloaded" and managed to press the button and update without any other actions?
Thank you...

I've had success with 2.63 (not out yet) using the "Full unroot" option in SuperSU, and OTA updating from 6.0 to 6.0.1 on volantis/flounder (Nexus 9 Wi-Fi). Most OTA's will not work without unrooting this way. After flashing the OTA, you will have to re-root.
The same should be possible on 2.62, assuming you are also running stock recovery.
Of course, this will only work if you have not modified /system, /vendor (if present) and /oem (if present) in any way.
Once I get FlashFire updated, it should all be much easier than that.

Thanks, Chainfire. At last a definitive explanation, and from The Master himself...
I've seen on one thread somewhere a comment about the writer using 2.63. Do you have any schedule for the release of 2.63? I'm currently unrooted, and I would want to root again only if I knew that the monthly disruption is minimal.
No great rush - I reckon it'll be another month at least before I have to do something about my current stock 6.0.1.
(Found your shirt yet? )

Not more than a few days I think. Nobody has 2.63 but me. I might skip that number though, as some are misnaming the 3rd release of 2.62 (2.62-3) as 2.63.
Note that those iterations with the same version numbers only include changes to the ZIP file scripts, not changes to the SuperSU GUI or binaries.
As for the shirt, I'm afraid it's still lost somewhere in the red light district. Long story!

Thanks again.
This is the thread that I mentioned:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/lg-g-pad-83/orig-development/v500-cyanogenmod-13-0-t3259135/page12
nytral - post #117:
"Oops, Secure booting error, boot certification verify. Supersu 2.63beta managed to generate a boot.img"

@Chainfire Does "Full unroot" restore the original boot.img ?
Because most OTA's nowadays verify the checksum of boot partition before continuing to update.

Assuming the backup hasn't gone missing, it will offer to restore the original boot image. I will also offer to attempt to restore recovery (also needed for most OTAs), though that requires a working install-recovery inside the firmware (TWRP is known for messing that up on install).

MM root could be nice, i cannot use titanium backup without the mobile rebooting when i try to do my backups, it can backup but not restore.

RichardEb said:
Hi,
I'm using Chainfire systemless root for Android 6. Can I install OTA updates
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://www.xda-developers.com/chainfire-systemless-root-now-supports-automated-boot-image-patching/

Just a clarification, meaning even if I have custom recovery(Since I flashed 2.65 with custom one) I can still receive OTA by using unroot option on my nexus 5? Let's say monthly security patches and I just need to reflash root?
Steps?
*Assuming I have custom recovery and rooted
1. Unroot using SuperSU
2. Install OTA using built-in
3. Reflash root

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.

Unroot/Relock/revert to stock

Hey everyone,
I'm over rooting. Had an issue today where a backup refused to restore and in trying to fix it, I've deleted my OS. Yes, I'm bad at this. No big deal, I have backups of all my photos and other important stuff.
I don't really want to do the rooting/flashing thing anymore and just want to get my phone back to normal/out of the box as possible so that it will receive regular OTA updates etc. I just want to simplify things.
TWRP is installed. Is it as simple as flashing the latest official update? Or do I need to relock the phone somehow too?
I was going to follow: https://forum.xda-developers.com/oneplus-3t/how-to/guide-to-revert-oneplus-3t-to-stock-t3676210 but wanted to be sure that it would work even though I don't currently have an OS installed.
Thanks!

Southrncomfortjm said:
I'm over rooting. Had an issue today where a backup refused to restore and in trying to fix it, I've deleted my OS.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That isn't root. That is your lack of knowledge of the functions of custom recovery, and what the results will be. Better learning and knowledge, and a little more care could have easily prevented it from happening. You wiped the selections in the "Advanced" wipe section of TWRP. And the fact it's called "Advanced" should have been a good clue to not mess with it, unless you know exactly what you are doing.
It's also an easy condition to recover from.
Southrncomfortjm said:
I don't really want to do the rooting/flashing thing anymore and just want to get my phone back to normal/out of the box as possible so that it will receive regular OTA updates etc. I just want to simplify things.
TWRP is installed. Is it as simple as flashing the latest official update? Or do I need to relock the phone somehow too?
I was going to follow: https://forum.xda-developers.com/oneplus-3t/how-to/guide-to-revert-oneplus-3t-to-stock-t3676210 but wanted to be sure that it would work even though I don't currently have an OS installed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That guide is needlessly complicated. Just download the flash the "full" update zip using TWRP, from here: https://forum.xda-developers.com/oneplus-3t/how-to/official-oxygenos-5-0-1-android-8-0-t3728119
Make sure you are using a version of TWRP which supports Oreo (if you were on Oreo when you wiped OS, it should be okay). And that is all there is to it. You will be fully restored to stock, and after rebooting, stock recovery will replace TWRP.
You don't need to lock the bootloader to do this, and you don't need it for future OTAs. But a locked bootloader is arguably more secure, if you really don't need custom recovery or root.
On the other hand, if you still want to give root/phone mods a shot; the way to restore, and still have root is the same (flash full update zip). But just flash Magisk or SuperSU before rebooting, and you will be rooted, and still have TWRP.