I bought the T-Mobile version (on AT&T) and received it yesterday, based on the numerous threads that seemed to be the best option for me. I've been unlocking, rooting, and flashing the previous 3 Android phones and have yet to brick or "damage" any of them (knock on wood). Not too worried about voiding warranty since unfortunately they sold out of DE early on.
Originally, all I wanted to do was root. Though, I should have read more carefully before accepting the 4.4 OTA, chalk it up to "new phone" excitement. Seems like you needed to remain on 4.2.2. to root and THEN updating to 4.4. Decided to go ahead and unlock the bootloader and rooting the "traditional" method. Worked fine. Unlocked bootloader, flashed TWRP, and installed SuperSU. Profit. Thanks to the all the helpful people here.
I plan to stay on stock with the Moto X...for the first time ever with an Android device. Will I be able to accept future OTA updates? From what I've interpreted, I can't because I no longer have stock recovery, is that correct? If that is the case, what would I have to do to "keep up" with future official OTA updates?
Despite unlocking, rooting, and flashing previous phones - I've realized that this is far more complicated than I thought for a layman like myself.
It is still possible, and should remain so, that you can flash OTAs using CWM or TWRP recovery while rooted if you have not made any changes to system apps. I just updated my rooted, stock rom & kernel N7 with TWRP recovery to Kitkat 4.2.2. After updating successfully, I just restored TWRP with a fastboot flash of the twrp recovery image and used TWRP to flash SuperSU 1.8. to restore root. It all worked perfectly, but I had to unfreeze a couple of apps and uninstall the AOSP root browser app. After updating, I reinstalled the AOSP browser and all is well.
Groid said:
It is still possible, and should remain so, that you can flash OTAs using CWM or TWRP recovery while rooted if you have not made any changes to system apps. I just updated my rooted, stock rom & kernel N7 with TWRP recovery to Kitkat 4.2.2. After updating successfully, I just restored TWRP with a fastboot flash of the twrp recovery image and used TWRP to flash SuperSU 1.8. to restore root. It all worked perfectly, but I had to unfreeze a couple of apps and uninstall the AOSP root browser app. After updating, I reinstalled the AOSP browser and all is well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
someone will have to provide the OTA zip file for us to flash throu twrp right? we wont be able to install the OTA right on the phone like normally.
claudiuslu2011 said:
someone will have to provide the OTA zip file for us to flash throu twrp right? we wont be able to install the OTA right on the phone like normally.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can't flash the ota with twrp recovery, it will bootloop, other have tried it and always goes south, unlike the previous person who had a nexus 7 , the moto x is a different beast. We do have access to the firmware which you can flash with rsdlite but it wipes the phone, wipes recovery and puts the phone back to original specs
Sent on my Moto X
So, i have a motox (xt1058) with stock rom and twrp recovery. If i receive the lolipop via OTA, can i install it? or do i have to flash the original firmware?
Thanks in advance
You will have to flash stock recovery. Uninstall any xposed modules and unfreeze/restore any system apps.
PedroAlba said:
So, i have a motox (xt1058) with stock rom and twrp recovery. If i receive the lolipop via OTA, can i install it? or do i have to flash the original firmware?
Thanks in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is asked every time an new OTA comes out, and we get many threads started covering it.
To date...
For the Motorola X 2013, the OTA's are incremental updates. You must be on a specific previous ROM, and "step up." To put it another way... to take the 4.4.2 OTA, your phone needs to be on 4.4. To take the 4.4 OTA, your phone needs to be on the 4.2.2 w/camera fix version. To take the 4.2.2 w/camera fix OTA, your phone needs to be on the initial shipping ROM version.
None of the OTA's will install if you have TWRP recovery on your phone. Instead you get stuck in a bootloop. (mfastboot erase cache will get you out of the bootloop). You need to have stock recovery on your phone. NOTE: I don't recall what happens when using Philz or CWM as recovery.
Each OTA so far has included a "Pre-Install Verification Check", a manifest of files and their checksum/hashes which the update compares against your phone. If expected files are missing, or the wrong hash, the OTA will fail to install. - So any removed or modified "bloat", system files, etc. need to be in place. Any apps like Xposed which change /system need to be disabled/removed. In some cases Freezing apps using Titanium Backup cause the OTA to fail, and the apps need to be unfrozen. However, some have not had to unfreeze. Using the phone's app manager to disable an app (Settings -> Apps -> open app listing -> DISABLE) does not have to be undone.
If you have version mismatch between GPT.BIN or Motoboot.img and the ROM on your phone, taking an OTA WILL brick the phone. - Grab the FULL SBF for the Stock Moto ROM which matches the bootloader version on your phone, or a newer SBF (i.e. if you have the bootloader version that corresponds to 4.4.2, grab the 4.4.2 SBF or 4.4.4 SBF), and flash it via mfastboot. You may need some extra steps to flash GPT.BIN and Motoboot.img.
If you've used hacks to root/disable write protection because you have a locked bootloader, you may lose root, and wont be able to re-root until a new exploit is found. Those hacks might also get in the way of the OTA's pre-install validation checks.
If you have unlocked your bootloader via mfastboot oem unlock UNIQUECODE or Sunshine, the bootloader will not re-lock.
There have been some posts (twitter and G+) about how Lollipop poses new security features which are a challenge to rooting, even with an unlocked bootloader. Since I don't know the technical ins and outs, all I can say is.. Even with an unlocked bootloader, I wont jump on Lollipop as soon as its available, until I know if I can still root my X.
(I have a little bit more detail posted here -> http://mark.cdmaforums.com/MotoX-OTA.html)
lowvolt1 said:
You will have to flash stock recovery. Uninstall any xposed modules and unfreeze/restore any system apps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For what it's worth, you don't need to uninstall the modules. Just use the Xposed Disabler zip in your SD card, then install the framework again once you've flashed /system and taken the update.
When I did updated to 4.4.4 I disabled the modules in the Xposed UI (not sure if that was necessary or not), but did not actually uninstall any of the APKs for the modules. When I reinstalled Xposed after updating, all I just turned all my modules back on and rebooted.
Call me paranoid, but whenever there is an update, I always flash back to 100% stock and then do the OTA update. Then, I'll re-root using philz recovery and restore my desktop with a backup of Nova. I'm always worried that taking an OTA update with and previous tinkering will lead to a gummed up phone.
That is just me, though.
mtpease said:
Call me paranoid, but whenever there is an update, I always flash back to 100% stock and then do the OTA update. Then, I'll re-root using philz recovery and restore my desktop with a backup of Nova. I'm always worried that taking an OTA update with and previous tinkering will lead to a gummed up phone.
That is just me, though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not really a bad practice either way, if you clear stuff out now and again. If you try to take an OTA with a modified /system partition, it usually just fails during the hash checks and never installs/modifies anything.
You started your thread title with a [q].... Perhaps the Q&A section would be the section to ask your question? ?
If I have root on my device, I get OTA updates or not?
saarxee said:
If I have root on my device, I get OTA updates or not?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes you will get, but no they wont install UNTIL you remove root
And, you need the stock recovery as well + unroot.
I need to install stock firmware and It's deleted all my data?
Do i also need to have locked bootloader?Thanks.
Er, if you have a custom ROM, you might get the notification, but the install will almost surely fail; I wouldn't even try...even if it somehow installs, it'll probably just wreck your ROM.
But, er, OTA updates (if you are on stock already) don't wipe any data. But, if you are on a custom ROM and you want to get the OTA update, you'll need to flash back to stock and you should factory reset when switching ROMs (custom -> stock).
Locked or unlocked bootloader: it doesn't matter. I have an unlocked bootloader and I received the 5.0.2 update no problem.
I am ever impatient. So when I saw new factory images up on the Google page, I just had to try them out. I upgraded to LMY47E, then naturally the next day I saw the news about LMY47M. Being that I'm a T-Mobile customer, I want the M version (reported the T-Mobile version) of the new 5.1. Unfortunately, as part of the LMY47E upgrade, the bootloader was moved from 71.05 to 71.08.
Now, trying to flash factory images from LRX22C results in a bootloader mismatch error. I got around this by manually flashing radio, system, boot, etc. images on the phone, and I do in fact now have the 5.01 build showing. However, when I try to sideload the LMY47M build, I'm receiving an error from this line in the updater script:
Code:
#getprop("ro.build.fingerprint") == "google/shamu/shamu:5.0.1/LRX22C/1602158:user/release-keys" ||
abort("Package expects build fingerprint of google/shamu/shamu:5.0.1/LRX22C/1602158:user/release-keys; this device has " + getprop("ro.build.fingerprint") + ".");
It's stating that I have 5.0.2 LRX22G signed with test keys. I don't know how I would have got an engineering build installed from flashing factory firmware from the Google page, but apparently something is confused somewhere along the way. The best I can guess is that perhaps that's some leftover remnants from when I had installed a CM12 nightly build (which I believe is based on 5.0.2).
I don't know what I need to flash with what to get that cleared so I can sideload the LMY47M OTA, and I'm concerned that I may be unable to properly upgrade to additional OTA upgrades if there's a missmatch along the way. There was a confirmed update coming to move from LMY47E to LMY47M per T-Mo support , also confirmed by @askdes) but again, if I have some funky mismatched stuff, unsure if I can upgrade to LMY47E again and still expect to receive the OTA.
I'd love to have someone with more knowledge of these wonderful things weigh in on this. Educated opinions are always welcome, but someone with actual first-hand knowledge would be incredibly helpful to my sanity as well.
Thanks!
Theres nothing you can do to receive the OTA now.
Maybe the M factory image will become available. If so, you'll be able to flash that. Well at least the system and boot image. If the bootloader is newer, that too.
I suppose the other options are that if someone could install TWRP with an unmodified, unrooted M on, they could take a backup of system and boot and give you them to do a Nandroid restore via TWRP... Or maybe someone can take a system dump for you. But you cannot downgrade the bootloader.
mikecole79 said:
I am ever impatient. So when I saw new factory images up on the Google page, I just had to try them out. I upgraded to LMY47E, then naturally the next day I saw the news about LMY47M. Being that I'm a T-Mobile customer, I want the M version (reported the T-Mobile version) of the new 5.1. Unfortunately, as part of the LMY47E upgrade, the bootloader was moved from 71.05 to 71.08.
Now, trying to flash factory images from LRX22C results in a bootloader mismatch error. I got around this by manually flashing radio, system, boot, etc. images on the phone, and I do in fact now have the 5.01 build showing. However, when I try to sideload the LMY47M build, I'm receiving an error from this line in the updater script:
Code:
#getprop("ro.build.fingerprint") == "google/shamu/shamu:5.0.1/LRX22C/1602158:user/release-keys" ||
abort("Package expects build fingerprint of google/shamu/shamu:5.0.1/LRX22C/1602158:user/release-keys; this device has " + getprop("ro.build.fingerprint") + ".");
It's stating that I have 5.0.2 LRX22G signed with test keys. I don't know how I would have got an engineering build installed from flashing factory firmware from the Google page, but apparently something is confused somewhere along the way. The best I can guess is that perhaps that's some leftover remnants from when I had installed a CM12 nightly build (which I believe is based on 5.0.2).
I don't know what I need to flash with what to get that cleared so I can sideload the LMY47M OTA, and I'm concerned that I may be unable to properly upgrade to additional OTA upgrades if there's a missmatch along the way. There was a confirmed update coming to move from LMY47E to LMY47M per T-Mo support , also confirmed by @askdes) but again, if I have some funky mismatched stuff, unsure if I can upgrade to LMY47E again and still expect to receive the OTA.
I'd love to have someone with more knowledge of these wonderful things weigh in on this. Educated opinions are always welcome, but someone with actual first-hand knowledge would be incredibly helpful to my sanity as well.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What about relashing the factory image? Of course, this would wipe all data, config, apps, etc.
clairez said:
What about relashing the factory image? Of course, this would wipe all data, config, apps, etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you both for the replies. My course at this point seems to be "wait until M is up on the factory images page", which is what I suspected.
I have done a full factory flash of the LRX22C image, manually (since the script fails because of the newer bootloader) and it has still left me with the engineering build stamp showing. Any idea where that information is coming from? The image I used to flash back was the LRX22C for Shamu from developers <dot> google <dot> com/android/nexus/images. I would think that would have wiped the world (exception of the bootloader that doesn't know how to travel back in time; should really introduce that thing to Doc....). I'm not sure if it's because of the bootloader itself, or because of some other thing that just didn't get wiped properly. I flashed the radio, boot, cache, recovery, userdata, and system images initially, then re-flashed recovery to TWRP 2.8 after. Where does ro.build.fingerprint get it's information from? Is that all from the bootloader?
clairez said:
What about relashing the factory image? Of course, this would wipe all data, config, apps, etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But you can not flash an older bootloader So far for the developer phone At least HTC has S-Off.
gee2012 said:
But you can not flash an older bootloader So far for the developer phone At least HTC has S-Off.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I could be wrong (often am), but I thought several folks tried and succeeded with a factory image flash, by using the following methodology:
1. If your phone is showing OEM Unlock in the developer options and you can boot into recovery, then
2. Boot into android and remove all security
3. Set OEM Unlock and USB debugging
4. Perform several reboots to ensure OEM Unlock is persistent (if not, do not proceed)
5. Perform a factory reset/data wipe in recovery
6. Reflash the 5.01 factory image (or wait for 5.1 M version) using the manual method located here:
[TUTORIAL][GUIDE][HOW TO] Flash Factory Images || Unroot || Relock bootloader
http://forum.xda-developers.com/nexu...shamu-t2954008
* Use Method 2 from this tutorial, Method 1 does not work
7. You can relock the bootloader as outlined in the tutorial.
8. At this point if all went as expected, the N6 is factory fresh and eligible for the OTA.
But before you proceed check out some of the other posts to ensure that others have succeeded. So many reports of bricked phones it is hard to tell what caused the problem.
I have used the above method several times, but only reflashing to a newer version.
Hope this helps ....
PS: I missed the mention of CM12! There are so many variables in your situation, I am unsure now that there is a way back. So many of the hard bricked cases involved CM12. Good luck, I hope you come out of this right side up!
mikecole79 said:
Thank you both for the replies. My course at this point seems to be "wait until M is up on the factory images page", which is what I suspected.
I have done a full factory flash of the LRX22C image, manually (since the script fails because of the newer bootloader) and it has still left me with the engineering build stamp showing. Any idea where that information is coming from? The image I used to flash back was the LRX22C for Shamu from developers <dot> google <dot> com/android/nexus/images. I would think that would have wiped the world (exception of the bootloader that doesn't know how to travel back in time; should really introduce that thing to Doc....). I'm not sure if it's because of the bootloader itself, or because of some other thing that just didn't get wiped properly. I flashed the radio, boot, cache, recovery, userdata, and system images initially, then re-flashed recovery to TWRP 2.8 after. Where does ro.build.fingerprint get it's information from? Is that all from the bootloader?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am in the same situation as you are, mine shows my build fingerprint as "google/omni_shamu/shamu:5.0.2/LRX22G/dees_troy020120939:eng/test-keys" I have gone through the same steps as you have and tried to reflash LRX22C. I guess we wait until the factory image!
wadsface said:
I am in the same situation as you are, mine shows my build fingerprint as "google/omni_shamu/shamu:5.0.2/LRX22G/dees_troy020120939:eng/test-keys" I have gone through the same steps as you have and tried to reflash LRX22C. I guess we wait until the factory image!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you flashed a custom kernel? Sounds like a non-google boot.IMG or something is on the device.
clairez said:
4. Perform several reboots to ensure OEM Unlock is persistent (if not, do not proceed)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is absurd.
Unlocked is unlocked is unlocked.
The only thing that may not be persistent is the flag in the dev settings menu, ENABLE oem unlock.
Once you enable the unlock, you may *immediately* try to unlock it. If the enable setting isn't persistent, then it just won't unlock.
ONCE IT IS UNLOCKED, IT IS UNLOCKED. DON'T EVER LOCK IT AGAIN.
I also received that error when trying to sideload the OTA. The only modification I made was using a custom kernel, but I flashed the stock boot.img before attempting to sideload. So I'm not sure what could have caused the error?
I just read somewhere that we can get the sideload to work if a line in the updater script is deleted or modified. Has anyone else read this?
To sideload an OTA you need a stock recovery. I have been unable to sideload an OTA with a custom recovery installed since 5.0. The Dees Troy (guessing TWRP recovery) in the path is a dead giveaway that it is from the recovery. I don't think it is checking bootloader version when sideloading OTA.
android_mp99 said:
TI don't think it is checking bootloader version when sideloading OTA.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is. OTA doesn't replace the bootloader. It patches the existing BL with the deltas - I.e. the code that have changed. Obviously the bootloader must be the exact expected version for a patch to work, so it is definitely being checked when you install an OTA, no matter what method you use..
If you patched the BL with an incorrect patch, you could very easily be facing a brick.
Then I'm guessing the people that were able to sideload the OTA with the new bootloader got lucky or are talking a bunch of BS (totally possible). I haven't tried it myself but I know for sure that the stock recovery is needed to sideload the OTA since 5.0 and the error reported earlier by some could be because of the recovery installed.
You definitely need stock recovery, yes
Since I have never updated my bootloader, I'm inclined to think it must be recovery. I was trying to sideload via TWRP.
doitright said:
[snip]
ONCE IT IS UNLOCKED, IT IS UNLOCKED. DON'T EVER LOCK IT AGAIN.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are many reasons that people want to have a locked bootloader, such as, among many other reasons, your employer requires it, for example.
rootSU said:
It is. OTA doesn't replace the bootloader. It patches the existing BL with the deltas - I.e. the code that have changed. Obviously the bootloader must be the exact expected version for a patch to work, so it is definitely being checked when you install an OTA, no matter what method you use..
If you patched the BL with an incorrect patch, you could very easily be facing a brick.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, OTA updates do not verify which bootloader your device is running, and they do NOT patch the bootloader -- they fully replace it.
android_mp99 said:
Then I'm guessing the people that were able to sideload the OTA with the new bootloader got lucky or are talking a bunch of BS (totally possible). I haven't tried it myself but I know for sure that the stock recovery is needed to sideload the OTA since 5.0 and the error reported earlier by some could be because of the recovery installed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
rootSU said:
You definitely need stock recovery, yes
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can use TWRP as well. It just requires an edit to one line in the updater-script file.
efrant said:
There are many reasons that people want to have a locked bootloader, such as, among many other reasons, your employer requires it, for example.
No, OTA updates do not verify which bootloader your device is running, and they do NOT patch the bootloader -- they fully replace it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes you're right, my mistake.
efrant said:
You can use TWRP as well. It just requires an edit to one line in the updater-script file.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You need to have stock recovery to apply a stock ota. You could edit the updater-script for any amount of purposes, but that isn't really the point. The people who simply want to "check for updates" and use the standard mechanism to apply it, it will not work with twrp.
rootSU said:
You need to have stock recovery to apply a stock ota. You could edit the updater-script for any amount of purposes, but that isn't really the point. The people who simply want to "check for updates" and use the standard mechanism to apply it, it will not work with twrp.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, ok, but we were talking about sideloading the OTA, no? You can sideload an OTA update file (or even flash it directly from your device) using TWRP just by editing one line. But yes, as far as clicking on "check for updates" and having it install that way requires the stock recovery.
efrant said:
Yeah, ok, but we were talking about sideloading the OTA, no? You can sideload an OTA update file (or even flash it directly from your device) using TWRP just by editing one line. But yes, as far as clicking on "check for updates" and having it install that way requires the stock recovery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You technically can. But then you edit the line, side load the ota via twrp, and immediately flash SuperSU to stop the updated system image from replacing the recovery.. It all seems a little pointless to me. If you're going to modify an ota (or download a modified ota) to side load from custom recovery rather than use a pre-rooted ROM.zip, it seems to add unnecessary steps.
Hello. I have my device rooted and twrp recovery but with stock firmware. I have updates but i dont want to bootloop.
Can you tell me latest compilation number so i search it in firmware databases please? My device is a xt1772 Nicklaus.
I am in same situation, My Owens has Nov 1,2018 security patch firmware, I flashed tTWR recovery and rooted.
Now new firmware NPRS26.58-45-19 comes out with Jan 1, 2019 security patch. How to get it flashed?
min1968 said:
I am in same situation, My Owens has Nov 1,2018 security patch firmware, I flashed tTWR recovery and rooted.
Now new firmware NPRS26.58-45-19 comes out with Jan 1, 2019 security patch. How to get it flashed?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you take the OTA then it will bootloop because you have a custom recovery. You have to go back to stock recovery and then take the update. After you update you will have your bootloader locked again and you will have to unlock it earesing all data in the phone. Then again flash twrp and root.
Thats why i wanted the last official firmware so i do it only once since updates are cumulative updates...
If i have no response about it, i will return to stock recovery, take all ota updates. Then unlock bootloader, flash twrp and try to restore at least the data since you cant recover system otherwise you will return to a not updated firmware.
Thats the only thing i think its possible.
Btw i edit the thread because mine is a nicklaus e4 plus version.
Cheers!
rq005 said:
If you take the OTA then it will bootloop because you have a custom recovery. You have to go back to stock recovery and then take the update. After you update you will have your bootloader locked again and you will have to unlock it earesing all data in the phone. Then again flash twrp and root.
Thats why i wanted the last official firmware so i do it only once since updates are cumulative updates...
If i have no response about it, i will return to stock recovery, take all ota updates. Then unlock bootloader, flash twrp and try to restore at least the data since you cant recover system otherwise you will return to a not updated firmware.
Thats the only thing i think its possible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for reply. I think I can find stock recovery in stock firmware package.
However do I need to unroot my phone (which I don't know how to)? or simply leave it rooted as is, do OTA after stock recovery flashed?
Stock recovery then take ota maybe More than one since are cumulative. Then Flash twrp and root again.