Database Info

[Q] Can I update stock N5 BUT with Franco Kernel?

I've got a Nexus 5 on Lollipop that's completely stock except for running franco kernel. Haven't touched it for awhile. If I check and there are any OTA updates available, will they install successfully?

No, you must have stock kernel, stock recovery, and unroot

micens said:
No, you must have stock kernel, stock recovery, and unroot
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Thanks.

Is there a way to manually flash the OTA, or to install it one way or another, without having to revert to stock kernel and unroot and then re-root and re-install franco again?

Edit flash-all file and remove "-w".
Save the file and flash it from fastboot

.psd said:
Is there a way to manually flash the OTA, or to install it one way or another, without having to revert to stock kernel and unroot and then re-root and re-install franco again?
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As of Lollipop, the OTA method has changed and instead compares the checksum/hash of the entire /system partition, as well as the boot and recovery partitions. The "old" pre-Lollipop method was to check the specific files it cares about rather than sum of the entire partition.
The best way for you to update is download the factory image, extract it then flash the boot and system images using fastboot while your device is booted into the bootloader. You may also want to flash the new bootloader and/or radio. Don't flash the userdata image as it will wipe your /data partition (which the internal storage also resides in), unless that is something you want.
After that, boot into your custom recovery and simply flash the latest SuperSU and if you want to, a Lollipop version of the kernel you want. Files required by SuperSU/root access reside in the /system partition, which prevents an OTA update, and is overwritten when flashing a factory system image. A KitKat kernel won't boot on Lollipop, and a custom kernel also prevents OTA.
OTAs are really only for those who have absolutely no software modifications (and are not informed enough to be able to flash manually) and is honestly the worst way of updating.

systemless root on stock rom

Since we have a systemless root method would it be possible to root a stock rom systemless and reflash the stock rom for working OTAs?
The firmware flash just flashes the system partition, thats why former systemroots got removed when the stock firmware was reflashed. But when usu is located in /data it doesnt get overwritten, so should stay intakt after the reflash of the firmware or am I mistaken?

[Q] Apply an OTA with a modified system

I generally download the complete update and flash the system partition but then I have to reinstall all the mods and do the modifications to my build.prop all over again, so I was wondering if there was a way to flash the ota and keep (at least most of) my modifications.

Not without risks. If you applied an update and it didn't flash /system completely, whatever modifications you have in there could create instabilities. Would you rather have to reinstall some mods or face bootloops?

I use a rooted slim stock rom by tupac and dirty flash it with the updates on. Never had an issue.

OTA update flashable via TWRP

So I flashed my wife's phone to TWRP without making a backup of the stock recovery just before T-Mobile released their OTA MM update and now I am tired of seeing the "update available" icon on the screen all the time. Does anybody have a flashable version of the update readily available that will not destroy any of her data partition (i.e. keep apps untouched, but update the firmware) or a link to it? Maybe a copy of the stock recovery so I can flash it back temporarily? Or a third option, make the downloaded update.zip file flashable? I have the update.zip file from her phone if needed if that last one is a viable option; it is only a 147 mb file as opposed to the 1.1 gb the returntostock.zip is.

There is a "Skinny" ROM available that is flashable through TWRP. It's the T-Mobile MM ROM with some minor tweaks.
As far as the data partition, I flashed it clean to avoid any bugs so I don't know how a dirty flash would work.
This time, make sure you do a nandroid backup in TWRP before doing any other flashing.

Samsung S7 G930F - Need workaround for installing ROM via Odin, TWRP overwritten

Hey there,
I have a nasty problem with my Samsung S7 G930F.
Rooting went fine, wiped everything to get access to the internal storage for backup. Now I need the German version of Vodafone ROM to use Wifi Calling which is really essential for me.
However I only get this ROM at Sammobile which must be flashed via Odin then. When I flash the ROM everything I did before gets lost, TWRP gets overwritten by a Android Recovery.
If I reinstall TWRP now, the wipe - which is necessary for backup or Xposed - is gone.
Everytime I try to install the ROM everything is replaced, even if I put in HOME_CSC file at CSC in Odin.
I really need this special ROM, however it is pretty important to get access to backup and Xposed.
Is there any way to preserve my TWRP status AND installing the new ROM? Or maybe there is a way to convert the Odin tar files to a zip which can be flashed in recovery?
Thank you so much!