OTA/root question - EVO Shift 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

I bought my wife a Shift and plan on rooting it soon. However one of my fears is that she accidentally accepts an OTA. If I go to Settings-->System updates-->HTC software update and uncheck the box for Scheduled check will that eliminate the OTA notification and thus prevent an accidental update (and most likely losing root)?
On a related note, the other item that makes me gun shy about rooting it now is there is no recovery. Hopefully that will be out soon!

You should probably read this:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=908267
Recovery exists
- Shift Faced

jesusice said:
You should probably read this:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=908267
Recovery exists
- Shift Faced
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think that is still a work in progress..or at least hasn't been tested thoroughly yet. Will pass on that for now. I bet is doesn't back up RSA keys either...

Related

RC31 question

I am new to the Dream, I just got mine on Friday. I have now got root access. I want to know when the RC31 comes out, if I update via t-mobile will it kill root access, or will I need to hold off until a modded FW comes from JesusFreke.
Thanks
Tim
Yes,if you update via t-mobile,it will remove root. Its best if you wait for a modded FW if you want root.
Thats what I figured. thanks for the info.
otto888 said:
Yes,if you update via t-mobile,it will remove root. Its best if you wait for a modded FW if you want root.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
While I agree that it would probably be best to not upgrade right away, we don't know anything about RC31 yet. The only thing I think that has been officially announce is that it would contain elements of cupcake. I'm not even sure how official that was either. Let's try not to speculate.
Echoing what's been said above, being that we know NOTHING about the next OTA update, it will likely (at the very least) remove root access from a JF RC30 device. It might even prevent you from backflashing to RC29 to get back to the modified JF RC30. So whatever you do, DON'T let your phone update until the new version is examined and tested by others, or you might find yourself with a permanently locked down G1.
If you're running any JF version of the firmware, you will not receive OTA updates. So, you have nothing to worry about unless you actually flash back to RC29 manually.
Iceucold said:
If you're running any JF version of the firmware, you will not receive OTA updates. So, you have nothing to worry about unless you actually flash back to RC29 manually.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Correct, or the update will fail, can't remember which one.
So I guess it would be safe to say....
STAY TUNED!!! Same XDA time, Same XDA channel
Iceucold said:
If you're running any JF version of the firmware, you will not receive OTA updates. So, you have nothing to worry about unless you actually flash back to RC29 manually.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I love when modders do that, keeps me from doing something stupid
Iceucold said:
If you're running any JF version of the firmware, you will not receive OTA updates. So, you have nothing to worry about unless you actually flash back to RC29 manually.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am not entirely convinced of this.
I had a chat with a co-worker about this and he said "well no, between the engineering bootloader and the test keys, there is no way the modded rc30 can be OTA'd".
I tossed this at him.
What if tmo decided to setup something like this...
check what you are running.
check what keys you are running.
send an update that does something along the lines of...
if your image is equal to or less than rc30 and your keys are either ota or test then update.
There is nothing that keeps them from pushing a testkey signed rc31 and replacing everything on your phone; including the testkeys back to ota keys.
I imagine that anyone with ADP1 or ADP1.1 will be left alone as it would be a bad move to screw with your developer audience; but I could be wrong. They could go after anyone who doesn't have an official ADP image (non JF kernel)...
I have no idea what they are really planning but it does seem that this could be a "check mate" pivotal move if they wanted to play that card this early in the game.
Of course, it could be as simple as "let's leave everyone where they are and only focus on security moving forward" which is most likely going to be the case....
deprecate said:
There is nothing that keeps them from pushing a testkey signed rc31 and replacing everything on your phone; including the testkeys back to ota keys.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The running theory is that T-Mo will not do this because all devices with the standard ota-keys installed will also get the "targeted" test-key rc31, reboot, and then freak out because the update is signed with a mismatched key.
The way the update service works is the device periodically sends its Android build fingerprint to Google servers. If the fingerprint is of a supported device (in this case Dream) and the build number is lower than the most recent, then the server may push an update back to the device. Since JF modified builds report an official fingerprint, there is no way for the server to distinguish between a modified and unmodified RC30.
However, i've seen enough in information technology to know that very little is truly "impossible". Based on what is currently known though, it is highly unlikely that Google/T-Mo/HTC could forcibly reroot a modified RC30 G1 at this time.
I really don't see T-mobile doing this. Why would they? At this point people with root don't have any real advantage over normal phones other than techie stuff. We are not pirating software or getting free minutes. Unless it becomes an issue I think T-mobile will leave us alone.
speoples20 said:
I really don't see T-mobile doing this. Why would they? At this point people with root don't have any real advantage over normal phones other than techie stuff. We are not pirating software or getting free minutes. Unless it becomes an issue I think T-mobile will leave us alone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is no piracy because apps are free. Once support for paid apps arrives, piracy will start. (Someone in this forum started a thread wondering how to do that). It happens in all software platforms, and it's going to happen with Android also. Note that I don't endorse piracy (for some weird reason people think that developers are the only guys who should work for free), less in these environments where there are lots of applications than are made by individuals, not big companies, but this won't prevent piracy to come to Android.
Anyway, if I were TMob I would try to remove root from as many devices as I can (which obviusly does NOT include ADP1, as it has nothing to do with TMob),
not just for the piracy, but to keep users from breaking their devices due to doing stupid thing with a rooted phone.
T-Mobile motivation to wipe devices using test keys
T-Mobile could have a motivation to wipe devices by providing an update using test keys. Tethering is against the terms of service and can only be done if you have root. They could take the *IAA approach and say that any one who has root wants to be able to tether and break their TOS (since tethering is the biggest advantage to root right now). If enough people tethered it could cause a problem as they may not have the bandwidth to accommodate what people want to do when tethered. BTW, for all who tether use this addon for firefox and change your user string to match the android's browser (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/59) so they can not tell.
Is there a way to make new keys that are different from the dev keys, or is google the only ones who can do that?
Doing an update using test-keys sounds a bit desperate to me.
Moreover, as jashsu said, it seems that there is no way that currently TMob could know if you were using a G1 with an stock R30 or JF's one, so if they offered the update with testing keys, stock R30 phones would reject it.
They could try some tricks as offering the update with test keys for a while, then switch to another with official keys, then came back to test keys, etc...
But as I said, this sounds desperate and sloppy.
Mi bet is that they would try to fix the downgrade issue, and will use the official keys, so anyone with JF will be safe.
Anyway (I have an ADP1, so I've not receive any update from now), I though that, when an update was available, the user was asked whether to update or not.
clarke.hackworth said:
If enough people tethered it could cause a problem as they may not have the bandwidth to accommodate what people want to do when tethered.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is not a problem. They will simply throttle you down to EDGE if they consider you are using up too much bandwidth (tethering or otherwise).
Is there a way to make new keys that are different from the dev keys, or is google the only ones who can do that?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Anyone can create signing keys. Not sure what you're getting at though.
clarke.hackworth said:
Tethering is against the terms of service and can only be done if you have root.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is? Where? Last I remember I saw the CEO say it wasn't and it is allowed. And that they wouldn't stop it or prevent it in anyway.
deprecate said:
I tossed this at him.
What if tmo decided to setup something like this...
check what you are running.
check what keys you are running.
send an update that does something along the lines of...
if your image is equal to or less than rc30 and your keys are either ota or test then update.
There is nothing that keeps them from pushing a testkey signed rc31 and replacing everything on your phone; including the testkeys back to ota keys.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It still wouldn't apply the update, even if they sent out an OTA signed with test keys. The OTAs are verified against the certificate present in /system/etc/security/otacerts.zip.
Since that file has been deleted, it wouldn't be able to verify the OTA, no matter how it was signed.
JesusFreke said:
It still wouldn't apply the update, even if they sent out an OTA signed with test keys. The OTAs are verified against the certificate present in /system/etc/security/otacerts.zip.
Since that file has been deleted, it wouldn't be able to verify the OTA, no matter how it was signed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good point. That completely escaped me. But wouldn't it be entertaining to see an official rc31 sent out with your certs as the target
deprecate said:
Good point. That completely escaped me. But wouldn't it be entertaining to see an official rc31 sent out with your certs as the target
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Very entertaining

Adding rooted features without rooting.

Side loading
Apparently there is an update that has to be pushed to your phone from AT&T, but hardly anyone has received it yet. People in this thread are working on adding this feature without the update. This method will allow you to install non android market apps, but so far it disables your mms capability.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1111278
Free tethering/wifi hotspot
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=980591
By changing a few settings, you can have tethering/use wifi hotspot without adding a tethering plan from AT&T.
Maybe we could add future developments to this thread as they become available. I like the idea of leaving my phone stock so that it will automatically update.
Are you talking about the "silent" OTA that enables side-loading?
If so, and if by hardly anyone, you mean "hardly anyone here on XDA," it may be because they are rooted or otherwise running a custom ROM that will prevent them from getting OTA updates.
If you mean hardly anyone here on XDA that is bone stock, well, that might be true. And it also might be true that the recently discovered method of enabling sideloading will help some people, who don't mind their mms broken until some workaround fixes it.
Or they can root, and be done with it. There's nothing that will ever be OTA that I would want to get OTA anyway -- it will be available here shortly after.
The only excuse people have to not root is that it *appears* to be difficult. It really isn't. You can enjoy the same exact phone with a stock ROM, but with the added perks that rooting brings. Yes, that includes sideloading. And SIM unlock. And no more bloatware.
However, if this sideloading trick can be perfected, and it will keep people who otherwise don't have the patience to root their phones and as a result would just screw them up, causing them to further not spend the time to read and search, instead firing off 1000's of redundant "Halp Me!" posts, then that's a good thing.
ehh I would just rather use adb.... (if I was stock)
mudknot2005 said:
ehh I would just rather use adb.... (if I was stock)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Or that. My friggin' rant post from hell was long winded enough for me to forgo mentioning much more.
mudknot2005 said:
ehh I would just rather use adb.... (if I was stock)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, OP, you should definitely include a link to the adb method, or the Sideload Wonder Machine method.
I used SWM to install Swype weeks before I got the AT&T non market option (which was a week before I rooted).
ST3ALTHPSYCH0 said:
Yeah, OP, you should definitely include a link to the adb method, or the Sideload Wonder Machine method.
I used SWM to install Swype weeks before I got the AT&T non market option (which was a week before I rooted).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The adb method for sideloading an app is already discussed in mudknot's stickied guide.
Supposedly there is still an update floating around for unknown sources. If I happen to get my hands on it I will post it.
That's the only reason I haven't updated the side loading part of the guide. If the update gets pushed to every phone with in the month then it would be obsolete quick. I might add it just to have the most information possible... Though I will not put this method on there, because there is no reason you should have to give something up to gain something (captivate anyone?)..
Still stock here, without the non-market update.
No issues at all using the SWM. I didn't like that whole stupid "dropbox" method mentioned. It's easier and faster to just to use "disk drive" mode to copy the apk files onto the PC.
mudknot2005 said:
Supposedly there is still an update floating around for unknown sources. If I happen to get my hands on it I will post it.
That's the only reason I haven't updated the side loading part of the guide. If the update gets pushed to every phone with in the month then it would be obsolete quick. I might add it just to have the most information possible... Though I will not put this method on there, because there is no reason you should have to give something up to gain something (captivate anyone?)..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Absolutely agreed. Your guide should be reserved for known methods that provide the desired result without sacrificing other functionality.
I really don't see what all the excitement is about, regarding this new method. I mean, side loading has been a non-issue for rooted devices from the start, now it's *officially* a non-issue, even for bone stock devices.
This new method might have been a useful workaround for stock phones before ATT changed course on sideloading, now not so much.

[Q] Verizon OTA Update - 5/30/13

I read on cnet last night that Verizon would be sending an update for all GS3 users and, sure enough, I was prompted for the update for an update morning. (5/30/2013)
I am running stock 4.1.2 rooted.
Does anyone know if this is safe for me to apply? Will I lose root?
Thanks!
yep
You will lose root and if you have a custom recovery (twrp for instance) it will be overwritten. You will also get a "update failed" message. However, the update actually will succeed. You can reroot the same way you did before (unlock bootloader, root, install custom recovery if desired). I was surprised that the OTA was even available for rooted/custom folks. There will be a couple new apps installed, one dealing with CallerID which will force your 4G and WiFi to both be on - freezing that new app will fix that issue too, search the forums for details.
Goddrick said:
I read on cnet last night that Verizon would be sending an update for all GS3 users and, sure enough, I was prompted for the update for an update morning. (5/30/2013)
I am running stock 4.1.2 rooted.
Does anyone know if this is safe for me to apply? Will I lose root?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
gozirra said:
You will lose root and if you have a custom recovery (twrp for instance) it will be overwritten. You will also get a "update failed" message. However, the update actually will succeed. You can reroot the same way you did before (unlock bootloader, root, install custom recovery if desired). I was surprised that the OTA was even available for rooted/custom folks. There will be a couple new apps installed, one dealing with CallerID which will force your 4G and WiFi to both be on - freezing that new app will fix that issue too, search the forums for details.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How are you surprised about the OTA being available for rooted phones? You don't make any sense with that comment as the update is just that an update. Verizon doesn't know which customers have rooted their device just that you have a device that needed to be updated.
Because thats the way it always was back when I had my original Incredible? A lot of people were surprised that the update was available to them, I'm not a minority here. No reason to be rude.
jmxc23 said:
How are you surprised about the OTA being available for rooted phones? You don't make any sense with that comment as the update is just that an update. Verizon doesn't know which customers have rooted their device just that you have a device that needed to be updated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
gozirra said:
Because thats the way it always was back when I had my original Incredible? A lot of people were surprised that the update was available to them, I'm not a minority here. No reason to be rude.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am not being rude just stating the fact that Verizon doesn't know your phone is rooted in fact all companies don't know what you did to your phones until something bad happens to it. I will also add that the update will be pushed regardless if you're rooted or not the only time it won't get pushed is with a custom ROM made by someone who knows how to block Verizon updates.
jmxc23 said:
I am not being rude just stating the fact that Verizon doesn't know your phone is rooted in fact all companies don't know what you did to your phones until something bad happens to it. I will also add that the update will be pushed regardless if you're rooted or not the only time it won't get pushed is with a custom ROM made by someone who knows how to block Verizon updates.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Funny I did not see him mention anywhere that Verizon knew anything. His experience with a previous phone was that for some reason after rooting etc. his phone did not receive OTA updates. Whatever the reason, instead of being rude, you could have simply helped him understand like you finally did : "... the only time it won't get pushed is with a custom ROM made by someone who knows how to block Verizon updates.".
ghostboa said:
Funny I did not see him mention anywhere that Verizon knew anything. His experience with a previous phone was that for some reason after rooting etc. his phone did not receive OTA updates. Whatever the reason, instead of being rude, you could have simply helped him understand like you finally did : "... the only time it won't get pushed is with a custom ROM made by someone who knows how to block Verizon updates.".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay I have corrected myself like you have so eloquently posted I don't see the need to defend him if I already like you stated told him finally the reason. I already know that I should have done it sooner and like I normally do correctly fall back and respond in a normal tone. I unlike others am self aware of what I do and make an effort to correct any wrongs that I have caused. I don't filter myself when I post my thoughts so they can come across
as rude depending on your sensitivity level the difference is that I don't insult people nor belittle them in any way. I can only imagine how you or anyone will react if I was a total jackass.
ok then
Thanks for the explanation. follow-up question - if Verizon doesn't "know" then what is with the "unauthorized software discovered, call Verizon" popup that so many people have reported? Or the infamous yellow triangle? I assumed (yeah I know the cliche) that Verizon in fact DID "know" otherwise that wouldn't have happened. Simple mistake based on past experience, sorry.
As a side note.. If you have Titanium you can freeze SDM 1.0 and you won't get those updates
gozirra said:
Thanks for the explanation. follow-up question - if Verizon doesn't "know" then what is with the "unauthorized software discovered, call Verizon" popup that so many people have reported? Or the infamous yellow triangle? I assumed (yeah I know the cliche) that Verizon in fact DID "know" otherwise that wouldn't have happened. Simple mistake based on past experience, sorry.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is completely unrelated to OTAs though. That warning is solely because of the secure bootloader on the Verizon GSIII. That warning is built into the system to pop up whenever you try installing software to the phone without having the prerelease bootloader in place. Verizon and Samsung intentionally made this model GSIII more difficult to install custom software onto or to make it a more secure device, depending on how you look at it. It's a business decision at the end of the day.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
Probably business related as they don't want to be the first company to have an worldwide malware problem on their devices.
ghostboa said:
...you could have simply helped him understand like you finally did : "... the only time it won't get pushed is with a custom ROM made by someone who knows how to block Verizon updates.".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's the key (at least in my experience with HTC phones). I can't remember the name of the file, but it was one file that you could rename and the phone would not check or ignore OTA updates that were pushed by the carrier.
i downloaded the update the other day by mistake as it bricked my phone. im rooted only and stock. i know its going to keep forcing the update thru, is there anyway i can get the update to go thru successfully without bricking my phone again?
You didn't brick your phone at least not a hardware brick.

System Update

Prompted to install a system update today. I hesitate as hopeful to obtain at least root if not bootloader unlock and don't want an update to stand in the way of that (eventual) process. Any thoughts on this 5/10/16 update from developers and any recommendation on whether it's harmless or perhaps that we should hold off... Thank you.
I would like to know the same
Sent from my VS987 using Tapatalk
Its harmless because its an official update.
I looked it up and it said it is to improve the interface for visual voice mail, some changes to how you can enter airplane mode so you won't do it by accident, and allow display of data from the active exchange server, whatever that is. Nothing about security, but I would be skeptical. You never know what they might sneak into the update. It didn't sound like any big improvements so I didn't take it.
igomoto said:
Prompted to install a system update today. I hesitate as hopeful to obtain at least root if not bootloader unlock and don't want an update to stand in the way of that (eventual) process. Any thoughts on this 5/10/16 update from developers and any recommendation on whether it's harmless or perhaps that we should hold off... Thank you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There's no reason not to take it.
I bought my G5 with the idea that the phone will NEVER be rooted or have an unlocked bootloader. Why? Because LG doesn't sell as well as Samsung or HTC or... and therefore has fewer developers working on unlocking/rooting and it's a very new phone, most newer phones have figured out how to permanently lock the bootloader and prevent rooting.
I certainly hope I'm wrong about this but.... :crying:
My Thunderbolt, Galaxy S3, Galaxy S4, M8 were bootloader unlocked, rooted and running TWRP and custom ROMs within an hour of getting them home so I had to think long and hard about buying a phone that I believe will never be unlocked or rooted but LG has nothing as horrible as TouchWiz or Sense and Nova Launcher make the phone suit my needs.
FWIW, I took the update yesterday and will take all future updates.
igomoto said:
Prompted to install a system update today. I hesitate as hopeful to obtain at least root if not bootloader unlock and don't want an update to stand in the way of that (eventual) process. Any thoughts on this 5/10/16 update from developers and any recommendation on whether it's harmless or perhaps that we should hold off... Thank you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hopefully @autoprime can take a look at it for us sometime and let us know the rollback situation with the new update. Until he lets me know its safe, I generally stay away!
Coycaine said:
Hopefully @autoprime can take a look at it for us sometime and let us know the rollback situation with the new update. Until he lets me know its safe, I generally stay away!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
12A KDZ is out.
You can download it HERE. And as always.. I try to add all KDZ's to http://bit.ly/lgkdzlist
12A does not pop a version fuse... so there should be no issues going back to 11A from 12A as far as I can tell. :good:
I experienced issues after the update that were not there prior to its installation. Double tap to wake became hit or miss, although double tap to sleep worked just fine. And the power button became glitchy as well. On several occasions I couldn't wake the phone with either method and attempted a long press of the power button in order to shut the phone down which would not work. All this after only having had the phone less than 24 hours. Needless to say it went back and a replacement was obtained.
Thus far no problems with the new device but I have yet to install the system update (12A) which has downloaded and is pestering me to run.
jamesava said:
Its harmless because its an official update.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is this your first android phone or something? :laugh:
No, but seriously, Verizon sends out updates that f*ck things up all the time. Marshmallow ruined my G4 and lollipop ruined my S4. Plus, each update you take makes your chances of getting root that much slimmer, because if a dev has been working to root a phone for X amount of months, they've only been trying it with the software at the beginning of those X amount of months. A security patch could make root impossible until further dev work is done.
---------- Post added at 11:53 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:53 PM ----------
rapperman said:
I experienced issues after the update that were not there prior to its installation. Double tap to wake became hit or miss, although double tap to sleep worked just fine. And the power button became glitchy as well. On several occasions I couldn't wake the phone with either method and attempted a long press of the power button in order to shut the phone down which would not work. All this after only having had the phone less than 24 hours. Needless to say it went back and a replacement was obtained.
Thus far no problems with the new device but I have yet to install the system update (12A) which has downloaded and is pestering me to run.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In regards to your power button issue, have you noticed that your phone is slower to wake when you have just locked it? If I shut my screen off and quickly flip it back on, there's a good 3+ second delay. Otherwise, doubletap to unlock and finger print to unlock are both pretty much instant if I count a good 2-3 "Mississippi"s ;P
ryanpm40 said:
In regards to your power button issue, have you noticed that your phone is slower to wake when you have just locked it? If I shut my screen off and quickly flip it back on, there's a good 3+ second delay. Otherwise, doubletap to unlock and finger print to unlock are both pretty much instant if I count a good 2-3 "Mississippi"s ;P
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
With this G5 I've not experienced the issue you've described, or any of the other issues that plagued the first one I purchased. I've even installed the 12A update which I believed were responsible for the "doubletap" issues. There's no doubt in my mind now that the first device was defective.
The only problem I am experiencing at this point is this nagging sensation that I should give the HTC 10 a comparative look before the end of my 14 day evaluation period lol.
Please Help Me!!
autoprime said:
12A KDZ is out.
You can download it HERE. And as always.. I try to add all KDZ's to http://bit.ly/lgkdzlist
12A does not pop a version fuse... so there should be no issues going back to 11A from 12A as far as I can tell. :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello Good Day,how can i install the kdz file????,im a noob in this and i cant find how to do it,i search and i found that i need the program Lg Up and others files,but i was unable to find the right ones......
can you guide me???,please....
My Cellphone is recognized as a Lg g4 by the program VZW Software Upgrade Assistant.......
and i tell this because it show me that is an update but is VS98624C.........:silly::silly::silly:
rapperman said:
I experienced issues after the update that were not there prior to its installation. Double tap to wake became hit or miss, although double tap to sleep worked just fine. And the power button became glitchy as well. On several occasions I couldn't wake the phone with either method and attempted a long press of the power button in order to shut the phone down which would not work. All this after only having had the phone less than 24 hours. Needless to say it went back and a replacement was obtained.
Thus far no problems with the new device but I have yet to install the system update (12A) which has downloaded and is pestering me to run.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I cleared the update by booting to the bootloader and wiping cache. It rebooted and then I cleared away the unsuccessful update message. Then using adb, I run the short command that @autoprime posted in his topic for all things LG G5. It hides the system update and I haven't got the prompt since.
Sent from my VS987 using Tapatalk

Should I Unlock my Bootloader?

I don't know how this'll go.......
So all my past android phones I have rooted + installed recoveries and what not. Originally I did this because I heard of a way to increase the battery life of my HTC Incredible via rooting. Afterwards I found myself rooting my Inc2, DNA, Inc4G, and my One M8. This time I did it so I can get the latest versions of Android/HTC Sense (until Google finally made a good looking UI w. 5.0).
Today (technically yesterday at this point) I bought the Pixel in hopes of finally being able to receive consistent android updates. That being said, the idea of being able to get consistent and relatively quick android updates was the whole point of me unlocking + rooting my phone.
I guess the question remains: Should I continue running unlocked with the Pixel, or will the updates from Google be enough?
dkris2020 said:
I guess the question remains: Should I continue running unlocked with the Pixel, or will the updates from Google be enough?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I like custom recoveries like TWRP because you can make nandroid backups. The downside of unlocking your bootloader is that Android Pay won't work and if someone gets ahold of your phone, like a thief, if the phone is unlocked then they can flash it and it will circumvent any protection on the device.
I like root because you can use apps that require root, like some Ad blockers and Titanium Backup, and because I can remove system apps I don't want on my phone.
It all depends on what you want to do with your phone.
Unless someone has a reason for unlocking the device, generally I don't see the point. There are some things that I want to do with my phone, which are easier to do unlocked, so personally I specifically wanted an unlockable phone. Depending on how much you've read about the Pixel, here are some things you may or may not know.
- Unlocking the device will wipe it, so if you decide later that you want to unlock it will wipe the phone.
- An unlocked stock device can still use the standard OTA updates.
- Some SuperSU users may be able to unroot and then use the standard OTA updates, and some rooted users have reported their phones automatically updating.
- After I started using root my phone fails to install the OTA updates, so I'd guess one of the checked areas on my phone has changed due to the root apps I've used.
- If the OTA notification shows up and the update will not install, with the stock ROM it's possible to burn through a lot of cellular data. When I didn't update my phone this month, it used about 1 GB before I shut off cellular data.
- Items like a computer, TWRP, or FlashFire are the sorts of alternate update routes for the stock ROM if a rooted phone cannot use the standard OTA.
alluringreality said:
some rooted users have reported their phones automatically updating..
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Isn't there a way to disable the automatic updates?
LoliSmith said:
Isn't there a way to disable the automatic updates?
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You can disable them in developer options. I've had my phone since early November (turned off system updates the day I got it) and have never been notified that an update is available. However, some have reported that they had system updates disabled in developer options and they still get notified an update is available. It seems to be hit and miss so I can't say for sure it would work for you or not.
Just addressing OPs concerns, unlocking your phone shouldn't have any impact on updates from Google. You can still get them, OTA or otherwise.
The only downside I'd say, are warranty related (unlocking the bootloader will void the warranty on Verizon models), and security. Google has pretty much decided that having an unlocked bootloader is not secure enough for Android pay, so you'll be without that (However, you can still use loaded gift cards/loyalty program cards. It's just credit/debit cards that won't work).
robocuff said:
You can disable them in developer options. I've had my phone since early November (turned off system updates the day I got it) and have never been notified that an update is available. However, some have reported that they had system updates disabled in developer options and they still get notified an update is available. It seems to be hit and miss so I can't say for sure it would work for you or not.
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On my motorola phones, there was an app that you could freeze using titanium back up. I wonder if there is anything like that with the pixel?
---------- Post added at 12:28 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:23 PM ----------
Soccerdude588 said:
The only downside I'd say, are warranty related (unlocking the bootloader will void the warranty on Verizon models),
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First, that assumes that Google has a record of you unlocking your bootloader, which they may since jcase is saying that the phones have to communicate with the Google servers to unlock the bootloader.
Second, there is a federal law on this and the way it works in this situation is that if unlocking your bootloader is not related to the warranty claim, Google can't deny your claim. For instance, if the charging port fails that is entirely a hardware issue unrelated to unlocking your bootloader. Google must honor the warranty for that.
If you were to brick your device flashing, that would be different but Google would have to have some proof that you not only unlocked your bootloader but that it was the unlocked bootloader that resulted in a bricked phone.
robocuff said:
I've had my phone since early November (turned off system updates the day I got it) and have never been notified that an update is available.
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Are you manually updating your device, or are you running months behind the current release? The reason I ask is that the OTA notices on my phone have been delayed my days or weeks from the initial release, but I think they have showed up eventually when I've stayed on a prior version and the developer option has been shut off.
LoliSmith said:
On my motorola phones, there was an app that you could freeze using titanium back up. I wonder if there is anything like that with the pixel?
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I was hoping the following link might work similar to the Razr updater, but unfortunately the change kept my phone awake and didn't allow deep sleep both times I tried it. The update notification can be shut off by long pressing it, which I think shows up as a notification block. Due to the cellular data drain, my current plan is to try FlashFire for updates, and if that doesn't work well I'll probably try a ROM to avoid OTA updates.
https://www.androidexplained.com/pixel-hide-ota-notification/
alluringreality said:
Are you manually updating your device, or are you running months behind the current release? The reason I ask is that the OTA notices on my phone have been delayed my days or weeks from the initial release, but I think they have showed up eventually when I've stayed on a prior version and the developer option has been shut off.
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I've been manually updating it. Usually within a week or so of the release. However, I skipped the January update all together and never got a notification about it. Maybe I got lucky. Don't know.
Thanks for the input guys.
So a lot of the stuff you guys are saying are things that I have had prior experience with so the actual process of unlocking I have no issues with. If unlocking the Pixel is anything like the Moto X Pure (which it should cause Google) it shouldn't be too much of a hassle.
That said I am with Verizon and I can say that in all of my years of owning rooted/unlocked HTC phones I only ever needed to use my warranty for hardware based claims. Like I said the main reason I unlocked/rooted was to get updated ROMs that Verizon/HTC wouldn't push out to the phone. I think I'll more than likely unlock it but I probably won't root unless I need to.
That's pretty much where I am. I did root, but a recent OTA update that I accidentally took unrooted me. Keeping the bootloader unlocked at least leaves that option available.

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