Auto OTA Download workaround on Pixel 3? - Magisk

I haven't been getting the monthly auto OTA's on my Magisk rooted Pixel 3XL any more. I understand from another thread that Google has changed the update software so that the first time it sees a new update, it checks to see if the phone is rooted, and it is sets a flag that prevents the download for that month.
I like using the install to inactive slot after OTA method in Magisk, which of course I can't use without Google doing the auto OTA download.
1) Is it possible to make this method work with a manually downloaded OTA from the factory site.
2) Is there a way to trick the update software into doing the download even though I'm rooted? I know some people do this by unrooting just before the new update comes available. Given how variable these release dates can be, this doesn't appeal to me.

Related

When Will I get Android 7.0 OTA?

Hello all, I have a Nexus 6 and I'm using it on Verizon's network. I have yet to receive the Android 7.0 OTA update. Should I have gotten this already or is there something possibly wrong with my situation? I've searched online and it seems like I should have gotten the update already. I appreciate any help.
You should have had it by now (unless you have modified your phone in any way that might interfere with the OTA process)
Your best bet would be to sideload the OTA from https://developers.google.com/android/ota
Yeah, it's a bone stock Nexus 6. I got it from Amazon around this time last year, and I received the 6.0.1 OTA update and I receive the android security patch updates. Just no update to 7.0.
When my Australian carrier delays updates I used to change my SIM to a foreign one (cambodia, vietnam, thailand, or whatever) and the update used to immediately appear. The SIM doesn't even need to be active.
Now that Google publish the OTA files, it's easier just to sideload it.
Anyway, try a different SIM (t-mobile or whatever you can find locally) and see if it appears (you need to reboot). Otherwise, Verizon only just approved the update a few days ago so might take a while to roll out to you.
I think that there are a lot of N6 (mine is on T-mobile) out there that have not seen an OTA. I got the 6.01 November secuity patch last week. Was expecting 7.0.
I went ahead and did a sideload of the OTA 7.0. This won't break any future OTA updates, will it?
xdatastic said:
When my Australian carrier delays updates I used to change my SIM to a foreign one (cambodia, vietnam, thailand, or whatever) and the update used to immediately appear. The SIM doesn't even need to be active.
Now that Google publish the OTA files, it's easier just to sideload it.
Anyway, try a different SIM (t-mobile or whatever you can find locally) and see if it appears (you need to reboot). Otherwise, Verizon only just approved the update a few days ago so might take a while to roll out to you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah.. I'm kind out of the loop these days, but I thought the Nexus devices got their updates straight from the Google. So I figured the carrier had nothing to do with how or when you got your updates.
russ4h said:
Ah.. I'm kind out of the loop these days, but I thought the Nexus devices got their updates straight from the Google. So I figured the carrier had nothing to do with how or when you got your updates.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The updates come from Google, but some carriers in some countries require an approval process (it's the same for Apple iphone, but is done more seamlessly and under NDA). Here in Australia, any devices sold by a carrier must go thru an approval process to make sure the software doesn't violate any compliance regulations (such as ability for emergency calling when no sim is present). Once Google get the go-ahead, they push the update to the phone with the relevant sim card in (or in some cases the IMEI). This can sometimes (dependant on current software version) be bypassed by changing the sim to one that doesnt require approval or has already been approved. Bear in mind however, you may get a software build not intended for your carrier.
Here's verizon's update info from a few days ago:
https://www.verizonwireless.com/support/google-nexus-6-update/
xdatastic said:
The updates come from Google, but some carriers in some countries require an approval process (it's the same for Apple iphone, but is done more seamlessly and under NDA). Here in Australia, any devices sold by a carrier must go thru an approval process to make sure the software doesn't violate any compliance regulations (such as ability for emergency calling when no sim is present). Once Google get the go-ahead, they push the update to the phone with the relevant sim card in (or in some cases the IMEI). This can sometimes (dependant on current software version) be bypassed by changing the sim to one that doesnt require approval or has already been approved. Bear in mind however, you may get a software build not intended for your carrier.
Here's verizon's update info from a few days ago:
https://www.verizonwireless.com/support/google-nexus-6-update/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey, thanks! I guess I just needed to wait a little while longer haha. I just finished the sideload and everything seems to be working well. Do you know if the sideload process somehow breaks future OTA updates?
russ4h said:
Hey, thanks! I guess I just needed to wait a little while longer haha. I just finished the sideload and everything seems to be working well. Do you know if the sideload process somehow breaks future OTA updates?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope, the sideload doesn't break future OTA updates (however it theoretically could if you flashed a build not intended for your carrier, however usually Google just send a 'Full OTA' which a large download to your device to get it back on the correct build).
Enjoy.
I was offered 7.0 and it took rooted
So ive been rooted since u bought the phone when it came it in 2014 and have sideloaded any updates and i received the 7.0 notice OTA and i figuredbid just see if it would update. It did and then i list root , wh?? Im green with Android but i struggke through it to get ehat i need done so im sorry if this is a noob question.
Nexus 6
Was the 59 build first series.
I was rooted with SuoerSU.
tbared said:
So ive been rooted since u bought the phone when it came it in 2014 and have sideloaded any updates and i received the 7.0 notice OTA and i figuredbid just see if it would update. It did and then i list root , wh?? Im green with Android but i struggke through it to get ehat i need done so im sorry if this is a noob question.
Nexus 6
Was the 59 build first series.
I was rooted with SuoerSU.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I always lose root when flashing an image or installing an OTA update. It is normal for that to happen. You just need to root your phone again by installing SuperSU . The latest version is SuperSU v2.78 SR5 and can be found here.
I joined (then left) the Beta program so i can get a stable release of 7.0 Nougat a little over a month ago. Good so far but what I'm concerned about is security patches. Ever since I got on Nougat, my N6 no longer gets OTA security patches. I'm still on the October security patch. Anyone know what's going on?
Regardless, even with a mod'd phone, I got the 7.0 nag 2 weeks ago - which spurred me to wipe everything and flash it with NRT.
alryder said:
I always lose root when flashing an image or installing an OTA update. It is normal for that to happen. You just need to root your phone again by installing SuperSU . The latest version is SuperSU v2.78 SR5 and can be found here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks as soon as i have some time i will reinstall and flas..

How can I OTA from root/custom recovery without a computer?

I have a cellphone that I really need the ability to get group messages and MMS on. I recently lost MMS when updates came in for hopefully Pie 9.0? But right now I still haven't accepted the July patch because of root and custom recovery.
I'm root and flashing capable but I'm in a living situation which will, no matter what, not allow me to get to a computer to do anything. Not 30 seconds. Not one quick boot.
I need the ability to update OTA all of the patches and Android updates and make my phone once again usable. Then if possible, to flash, from stock, through magisk and root again.
Just any way possible to get back to 100% stock to get OTA OR is there a way to install the OTA with apps or something?
Being without a computer won't do you any good, unfortunately.
Thereplierbro said:
I have a cellphone that I really need the ability to get group messages and MMS on. I recently lost MMS when updates came in for hopefully Pie 9.0? But right now I still haven't accepted the July patch because of root and custom recovery.
I'm root and flashing capable but I'm in a living situation which will, no matter what, not allow me to get to a computer to do anything. Not 30 seconds. Not one quick boot.
I need the ability to update OTA all of the patches and Android updates and make my phone once again usable. Then if possible, to flash, from stock, through magisk and root again.
Just any way possible to get back to 100% stock to get OTA OR is there a way to install the OTA with apps or something?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unless your a different person I've told you already you can't preform the ota until you go back to full stock unrooted and flash stock firmware which you need a computer to do. Im sorry for your living situation and I hope it gets better for you but your breaking forum rules by making multiple post about the same thing.

Pixel 3XL - Root and OTA

Now according to the documentation MM supports rooting after A/B Slot OTA. The problem is after i rooted mine (i think beginning of apri) i never got an OTA message again. Only got the OTA from march to april. Even though it's rooted with the latest stable magisk, and magisk hide (default settings) is enabled. Play store says "device is certified" and i pass satefy net. Am i missing something here, is there another setting/switch preventing system OTA notification? Manual check always says "device is up to date"
You have to restore images for OTA to work. It's a pretty easy process, just follow Magisk's official tutorial:
https://github.com/topjohnwu/Magisk/blob/master/docs/tutorials.md
Tried that on the first OTA i should be getting, didn't work. and still doesn't. Restored, manual checked for updates "System is up to date"
Been like that for many Pixel users for some time now. As far as I know, nobody's found out why...
So it's not like having usb debugging enabled can cause? Think i read that somewhere, just don't know where anymore

How to keep a rooted phone up to date? (monthly security patches)

I usually root every phone, but since this is something I do once a year, I tend to forget some basics (so bear with me). Other things, I actually never really knew.
Until now, rooting a phone and flashing a custom rom (or the factory image) were "one and done" things and I simply never updated my phone ever again, since OTA no longer works once the bootloader is unlocked, and installing a newer image forced me to wipe everything in TWRP or else I could no longer read the encrypted memory. Of course, that also forced me to re-root my phone and reinstall everything. A bit too much of a hassle for monthly security updates...
Nowadays, however, updates and security patches are more important than ever. And since I just received my rootable SD N9600, I want to do it correctly this time and stay up do date.
This begs the question: How *do* I stay up to date without basically factory-resetting, re-formatting and re-rooting my phone every month for every security update?
Google showed me a few solutions.
Pixel phones apparently have A/B partitions and a TWRP script. Not an option for the Note 9, though.
Flashfire apparently was the perfect solution that did exactly what I was looking for, but it has been abandoned by Chainfire and unfortunately it no longer works with newer Magisk versions. Even when I downgraded to a super old Magisk version, it would ultimately crash when starting the app (after receiving root permissions). So it doesn't seem to work, although staying on an old version of Magisk forever would not be an ideal solution anyway.
Is there anything like Flashfire or a simpler approach that I am missing?
Surely, I can't be the only rooted user who wants to install monthly security patches without wiping the entire phone.
Spaced Invader said:
I usually root every phone, but since this is something I do once a year, I tend to forget some basics (so bear with me). Other things, I actually never really knew.
Until now, rooting a phone and flashing a custom rom (or the factory image) were "one and done" things and I simply never updated my phone ever again, since OTA no longer works once the bootloader is unlocked, and installing a newer image forced me to wipe everything in TWRP or else I could no longer read the encrypted memory. Of course, that also forced me to re-root my phone and reinstall everything. A bit too much of a hassle for monthly security updates...
Nowadays, however, updates and security patches are more important than ever. And since I just received my rootable SD N9600, I want to do it correctly this time and stay up do date.
This begs the question: How *do* I stay up to date without basically factory-resetting, re-formatting and re-rooting my phone every month for every security update?
Google showed me a few solutions.
Pixel phones apparently have A/B partitions and a TWRP script. Not an option for the Note 9, though.
Flashfire apparently was the perfect solution that did exactly what I was looking for, but it has been abandoned by Chainfire and unfortunately it no longer works with newer Magisk versions. Even when I downgraded to a super old Magisk version, it would ultimately crash when starting the app (after receiving root permissions). So it doesn't seem to work, although staying on an old version of Magisk forever would not be an ideal solution anyway.
Is there anything like Flashfire or a simpler approach that I am missing?
Surely, I can't be the only rooted user who wants to install monthly security patches without wiping the entire phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
n9600 has limited development from the community. so if you are not going to flash a custom rom( usually thats how people stay up to date) then you will have to go through the rooting procedure each time.
bober10113 said:
n9600 has limited development from the community. so if you are not going to flash a custom rom( usually thats how people stay up to date) then you will have to go through the rooting procedure each time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So every solution that makes this easier is strictly device-specific and nothing like Flashfire (which would have worked regardless of community activity for the N9600) exists anymore?
Dark times indeed, almost makes me question if I should keep rooting my devices...
I have rooted note8 with decrypted data partition (no-verity... something script). I updated recently to newest firmware simply through odin. I flashed firmware preserving data (home csc file?). There was bootloop but after i flashed twrp and rooted with magisk phone started without problem and all settings and data was there. So this is solution for me, maybe it will work on note 9 too.
Spaced Invader said:
So every solution that makes this easier is strictly device-specific and nothing like Flashfire (which would have worked regardless of community activity for the N9600) exists anymore?
Dark times indeed, almost makes me question if I should keep rooting my devices...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Personally I'm sticking with phones officially supported by lineageOs (formerly cynogenmod) from now on.
Kriomag said:
I have rooted note8 with decrypted data partition (no-verity... something script). I updated recently to newest firmware simply through odin. I flashed firmware preserving data (home csc file?). There was bootloop but after i flashed twrp and rooted with magisk phone started without problem and all settings and data was there. So this is solution for me, maybe it will work on note 9 too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, I have a Note 9 that was rooted with Magisk and running on Oreo 8. I updated it via Odin to Android 10. I have a bootloop. What should I do? Please help me

Question Will root persist after an OTA update?

I've wondered this ever since my Tab S8+ reported it's device status as official despite me having flashed the tablet with magisk-patched firmware and asked me to update. This same exact scenario has happened with my rooted Tab S7+. However, I rooted that by flashing Magisk in TWRP rather than flashing patched firmware with Odin. I don't think anyone has tried applying an OTA update on their rooted Tab S8 device since the latest firmware isn't available yet, and could result in needed to flash patched firmware again. Then again, most rooted device will have their devices report as custom instead of official, so that may be why.
I'm willing to try this out on my Tab S7+ first as that device has TWRP, and I can easily restore my device to a rooted state afterwards. Since both tablets are relatively similar, I'll assume that if root persists after updating in the Tab S7+ then it should be safe to do so on the S8+ I'm curious of doing this solely for stability and performance updates in combination with everything root access grants.
With any part of the firmware patched, OTAs won't work - they'll fail. You could also wind up with a brick - most likely one you can recover from but I wouldn't bet either way on that. As always, have everything backed up in case the worst happens.
Since I still won't get my Tab S8 Ultra for another 10 days (unless they delay again), I haven't paid too close attention to the rooting instructions specific to this, and have only made note of them, however, the basic rule still applies - if any part of the firmware has been modified from stock, then OTAs will recognize that it's been modified and fail to apply - or as I said, it could possibly try to apply what it can but you could wind up with a mix and match of different firmware versions due to the OTA failing eventually, which would need some manual work to recover from - or very worst, you might need to start over from scratch and lose everything.
When I'm on any rooted device, I go into Developer options and disable Automatic system updates. It's still possible you could get an update prompt if you manually check for an update, but it's not advised to use OTAs when rooted.
I've always been a practitioner on all devices of flashing the full new firmware updates and re-rooting, however, I know that at least with devices with dual system partitions like Google Pixels (as far as I'm aware, Samsung still hasn't adopted dual partitions yet), there have been ways to apply Magisk to a manually sideloaded OTA, although I've observed other users who do this and something inevitably goes wrong with the process from time to time.
Not that full firmware flashes are immune to things going wrong.
Edit: If you try an OTA on yours, by all means, let us know what happens.
Edit 2: Adding TWRP to the mix may, or may not, affect the viability of applying OTAs. I've hardly used TWRP on any device in the last five years, so I'm not sure if it's smart about some things and can take root into account, but since TWRP doesn't exist on the Tab S8 (I don't have any older Tab), it won't matter for me.
roirraW edor ehT said:
With any part of the firmware patched, OTAs won't work - they'll fail. You could also wind up with a brick - most likely one you can recover from but I wouldn't bet either way on that. As always, have everything backed up in case the worst happens.
Since I still won't get my Tab S8 Ultra for another 10 days (unless they delay again), I haven't paid too close attention to the rooting instructions specific to this, and have only made note of them, however, the basic rule still applies - if any part of the firmware has been modified from stock, then OTAs will recognize that it's been modified and fail to apply - or as I said, it could possibly try to apply what it can but you could wind up with a mix and match of different firmware versions due to the OTA failing eventually, which would need some manual work to recover from - or very worst, you might need to start over from scratch and lose everything.
When I'm on any rooted device, I go into Developer options and disable Automatic system updates. It's still possible you could get an update prompt if you manually check for an update, but it's not advised to use OTAs when rooted.
I've always been a practitioner on all devices of flashing the full new firmware updates and re-rooting, however, I know that at least with devices with dual system partitions like Google Pixels (as far as I'm aware, Samsung still hasn't adopted dual partitions yet), there have been ways to apply Magisk to a manually sideloaded OTA, although I've observed other users who do this and something inevitably goes wrong with the process from time to time.
Not that full firmware flashes are immune to things going wrong.
Edit: If you try an OTA on yours, by all means, let us know what happens.
Edit 2: Adding TWRP to the mix may, or may not, affect the viability of applying OTAs. I've hardly used TWRP on any device in the last five years, so I'm not sure if it's smart about some things and can take root into account, but since TWRP doesn't exist on the Tab S8 (I don't have any older Tab), it won't matter for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just attempted to OTA update on my Tab S7+ after making a backup, and it failed. When it rebooted to start applying the update, it booted into recovery to start flashing, but since I have TWRP installed, it booted to that instead, went straight to the main menu, and didn't apply the update. It's extremely ironic; my tablet says it's running unauthorized software and will no longer receive firmware updates, but it also says my device status is official and allows me to download and install updates if I check for them (it'll even mention there's an update available without having automatic download installed).
I rebooted to system, it said they the update failed, and prompted me to download the update again and try again. I can't tell if anything got affected since it seems like because the update failed, nothing got applied or changed. This makes me slightly less willing to try and OTA update on the Tab S8+. However, since the stock recovery is still in place (no TWRP yet), the update process would probably go a long smoother. Not to mention, if something was to go wrong, and I needed to flash patched firmware again, I could just flash HOME_CSC instead of the regular CSC so I can keep my data. There's no guarantee that will work, as a failed update could require my system to prompt me to factory data reset anyway, but it's definitely an option that's available.
I'll backup whatever I can before attempting this, and I'll post the results later.
Answer would be no, doing OTA requires bootloader to be locked. But since you rooted, then you have unlocked the bootloader. So if your tab s8+ has locked bootloader then OTA will pass without a problem.
Jake.S said:
Answer would be no, doing OTA requires bootloader to be locked. But since you rooted, then you have unlocked the bootloader. So if your tab s8+ has locked bootloader then OTA will pass without a problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Really? I thought having an unlocked bootloader would be a non-issue since you can flashing official and unofficial firmware with an unlocked bootloader. Not to mention that the recovery has remained unaffected, and stock recovery needs to be accessed to apply the update.
SavXL said:
Really? I thought having an unlocked bootloader would be a non-issue since you can flashing official and unofficial firmware with an unlocked bootloader. Not to mention that the recovery has remained unaffected, and stock recovery needs to be accessed to apply the update.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
when unlocking bootloader you have to manually flash the stock firmware. Since OTA becomes unavailable when bootloader is unlocked. So if root is done in for example android 12 and you get a monthly patch then it will revoke the root since root usually modifies the OS files and gives you the root access sort off and flashing a update will write over those files and your root privileges will be removed.
Jake.S said:
when unlocking bootloader you have to manually flash the stock firmware. Since OTA becomes unavailable when bootloader is unlocked. So if root is done in for example android 12 and you get a monthly patch then it will revoke the root since root usually modifies the OS files and gives you the root access sort off and flashing a update will write over those files and your root privileges will be removed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Huh. I thought that doing an OTA update wouldn't remove anything that was already a part of the system and would just just update whatever needed to be updated and called it a day. With the method of patching the firmware and flashing it, I assume root would just be a regular part of the system, and an OTA update wouldn't affect it. Odd...
SavXL said:
Huh. I thought that doing an OTA update wouldn't remove anything that was already a part of the system and would just just update whatever needed to be updated and called it a day. With the method of patching the firmware and flashing it, I assume root would just be a regular part of the system, and an OTA update wouldn't affect it. Odd...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is because your normal access is only admin not root. So it has almost full rights, but when you add root access it is mostlikely a modification that you have to do, either by a command or flashing a file. But updating the OS will revoke the root since method you used becomes unavailable for next update which is why it can reset your changes backwards so your root privileges becomes lost and your access is back to default as before. But I wouldn't touch bootloader since doing that also bricks KNOX so features for KNOX will become permanently disabled since it requires a working Knox chip to work, but since KNOX chip fuse becomes blown when bootloader is unlocked then feature like Samsung pass, samsung secret folder and such will no longer work.
Jake.S said:
That is because your normal access is only admin not root. So it has almost full rights, but when you add root access it is mostlikely a modification that you have to do, either by a command or flashing a file. But updating the OS will revoke the root since method you used becomes unavailable for next update which is why it can reset your changes backwards so your root privileges becomes lost and your access is back to default as before. But I wouldn't touch bootloader since doing that also bricks KNOX so features for KNOX will become permanently disabled since it requires a working Knox chip to work, but since KNOX chip fuse becomes blown when bootloader is unlocked then feature like Samsung pass, samsung secret folder and such will no longer work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Turns out you were absolutely correct. I downloaded and attempted to install the update, it booted into the stock recovery and got to 25% before erroring out. It booted back into Android and said that the update failed. Thankfully, nothing ended up getting removed or corrupted, and I still have root access. Guess I gotta stick to finding the latest firmware and patching it. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

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