Database Info

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.

get ota's with root

Ive owned three android devices in the last couple of years and have never gotten a clear answer on this.
Will your phone receive ota updates if its rooted?
What about rooted and bloat frozen with titanium?
thanks

Depends on the manufacturer and the software. All manufacturers do it differently.
Reason you cant get a straight answer is because there isnt one. It is dependent on manufacturer/carrier/device/software

Everyone told me that you do. Just make sure you have voodoo ota rootkeeper so you don't lose root.
Sent from my HTC One X using XDA

[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.

ANY way to keep root when updating to 23.4.A.0.546?

So my phone is now prompting me to update (and I can't even tell it to got to hell like I could on my S4 Mini ) but I refuse to do so until I know I can keep my root intact (or until Kingroot becomes capable of rooting that version).
Is there ANY way of keeping my root intact? Maybe by using the PC companion to update (this used to work before ICS didn't it?)? Or doing something to the phone (besides flashing firmware) to preserve the root ahead of the update?
I don't want to be installing a custom rom (and yes, I still count generic stock as a custom rom because it would get onto my phone just like any other custom rom) just to update and I absolutely need root for Link2SD so if I can't keep root in some way and Kingroot doesn't catch up then I'm going to stay on my current version forever, security be damned.

SCHUMI_4EVER said:
So my phone is now prompting me to update (and I can't even tell it to got to hell like I could on my S4 Mini ) but I refuse to do so until I know I can keep my root intact (or until Kingroot becomes capable of rooting that version).
Is there ANY way of keeping my root intact? Maybe by using the PC companion to update (this used to work before ICS didn't it?)? Or doing something to the phone (besides flashing firmware) to preserve the root ahead of the update?
I don't want to be installing a custom rom (and yes, I still count generic stock as a custom rom because it would get onto my phone just like any other custom rom) just to update and I absolutely need root for Link2SD so if I can't keep root in some way and Kingroot doesn't catch up then I'm going to stay on my current version forever, security be damned.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No. You can make prerooted 546 and flash it in recovery and it's only way how to retain root. As soon as you update using OTA you will loose root as system will be overwritten.
Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk

Thanks, guess I'm waiting then.
Any way to temporarily disable the update message/get it out of my notification bar?

SCHUMI_4EVER said:
Thanks, guess I'm waiting then.
Any way to temporarily disable the update message/get it out of my notification bar?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe you can disable the Software Update app in settings...
By the way, however it`s your decision, I don`t understand reasons behind why not flashing latest software with Flashtool. There are sometimes nasty issues with upgrades, like people loosing LTE with OTA upgrades to 5.1.1 and so on. I would just backup everything and flash latest .570/.580 firmware (yes, even .546 is now getting outdated as upgrade to .580 becomes available to address MMS based vulnerabilities). Flashing software in flashmode is the same like flashing it through PC Companion and provides for clean way how to do system updates. You can even download version intended directly for your market/provider instead of generic one.

Flash the pre-rooted .546 zip. It has been posted weeks ago.

ondrejvaroscak said:
Maybe you can disable the Software Update app in settings...
By the way, however it`s your decision, I don`t understand reasons behind why not flashing latest software with Flashtool. There are sometimes nasty issues with upgrades, like people loosing LTE with OTA upgrades to 5.1.1 and so on. I would just backup everything and flash latest .570/.580 firmware (yes, even .546 is now getting outdated as upgrade to .580 becomes available to address MMS based vulnerabilities). Flashing software in flashmode is the same like flashing it through PC Companion and provides for clean way how to do system updates. You can even download version intended directly for your market/provider instead of generic one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because the phone isn't even two weeks old. Nowhere near time yet to risk bricking it doing non-standard things, I've already tested my luck enough by rooting it. And my region doesn't have 580 yet anyways. The inability to remove the battery makes me even more nervous about this sort of stuff, and yes I know there is a simulated battery pull, but that's still software and software gets fudged up which is the whole reason to actually physically remove the battery from your phone.
Not gonna happen thank you very much. Besides I'm never in a hurry with updating Android, it's always 2 steps forward one step back, never an all-round improvement. Some monkey of a programmer inevitably always rips out some base function every device should have, just look at ICS and the mess it's caused by choosing to ignore SD cards. Even Lollipop lacks things prior Android versions had for utterly no reason. Stagefright can kiss my you know what. Not gonna update till I can root with the click of a button avoiding almost all risk (in my mind anyways).

SCHUMI_4EVER said:
Because the phone isn't even two weeks old. Nowhere near time yet to risk bricking it doing non-standard things, I've already tested my luck enough by rooting it. And my region doesn't have 580 yet anyways. The inability to remove the battery makes me even more nervous about this sort of stuff, and yes I know there is a simulated battery pull, but that's still software and software gets fudged up which is the whole reason to actually physically remove the battery from your phone.
Not gonna happen thank you very much. Besides I'm never in a hurry with updating Android, it's always 2 steps forward one step back, never an all-round improvement. Some monkey of a programmer inevitably always rips out some base function every device should have, just look at ICS and the mess it's caused by choosing to ignore SD cards. Even Lollipop lacks things prior Android versions had for utterly no reason. Stagefright can kiss my you know what. Not gonna update till I can root with the click of a button avoiding almost all risk (in my mind anyways).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, seems you are new to XPERIA`s because there is hardly any way you can brick it. Battery pull is not a problem, because in addition to Power+VolUp reste, there is a push button hidden on the side of SIM card that triggers hard reset and switches the phone off.
But I aknowledge that you have your rights for your fears. However I wonder that with all your fears you would allow to install and run undocumented chinese app, that although roots your phone, may do other things and you will never know. Everyone is responsible for his own luck.

ondrejvaroscak said:
Well, seems you are new to XPERIA`s because there is hardly any way you can brick it. Battery pull is not a problem, because in addition to Power+VolUp reste, there is a push button hidden on the side of SIM card that triggers hard reset and switches the phone off.
But I aknowledge that you have your rights for your fears. However I wonder that with all your fears you would allow to install and run undocumented chinese app, that although roots your phone, may do other things and you will never know. Everyone is responsible for his own luck.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes and no. I had a neo but that was a very different device and I never felt the need to do anything custom to it (although I did check XDA for it) so it remains stock even today. Then I went to Samsung cuz everything Sony sucked at the time, at least in my price range. And now I'm back with Sony cuz there's something wrong with Samsung, dunno what, but I just don't like them so unless they're far ahead on paper I won't touch them again. (unless Sony tanks).
I didn't know about that button but I'd still rather not.
And I don't have anything sensitive on my phone so Kingroot can spy all it wants to. Of course I'd prefer it didn't, but if they absolutely have to then they're welcome to any and all info. Simply running an APK on my phone (that thousands have run before me) just seemed like the least brickable way of getting root (since I didn't have to do anything special like stuff up in the recovery or mess up an ADB command or anything like that). When I'd read about there being no root methods for 5.1.1 yet I erroneously took that to be all of Lollipop so I thought my phone was unrootable anyways when I turned it on and found it had lollipop (it was sealed so I thought it would still be on KitKat and easily rootable) so Kingroot was basically just a hail mary at the time. And since it worked so well I see no reason to ever do anything else.

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..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Isn't there a way to disable the automatic updates?

LoliSmith said:
Isn't there a way to disable the automatic updates?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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),
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.