[Q] Apply an OTA with a modified system - Nexus 5 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

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.

Related

Untouched Jelly Bean Stock ROM

If you are looking for the Odin-Flashable Image go here. These update files are based on that image.
These are recovery-flashable zips for the untouched Jelly Bean image that Nardholio provided.
They are as Samsung provided them with all the crap. I stripped the recovery though since i don't think anybody would want to loose theirs.
If you flash using TWRP (dunno about CWM), it detects that your current system is un-rooted and asks if you want to install SuperSU. If you want root, just let him do it.
I've split the update into three files:
JB stock modem (md5: 932407773cb6e0e5bd133da49ba8a442) as provided by Nardholio. This is just a mirror. Didn't touch that.
JB stock bootloader (md5: 2a980ce6d3f109f56e86b663f03fd761) that came with the update. Seems like it's purely optional. You only need to flash this once (if you want it) as it is usually not overwritten by any updates.
and the actual JB stock image (md5: b70f44d4619391c8f0f4debaa6239fc3)
cache/data wipe is required for the image.
if you just want the bootloader/modem there's no need to wipe.
The Odin image also came with an empty persist partition. None of these updates touches persist as you might want to flash back and have a ROM that relies on those files.
I've tested all the images and they work fine for me. But, certainly, they come without warranty. Flashing things, especially bootloader and modem, always come with the risk of bricking your phone. Be aware of it and don't blame me.
Hi
On flashing the new bootloader i am not getting any network...do i need to unlock again?
edit: Got network after trying several different SIMs. weird eh?
kilr00y said:
If you are looking for the Odin-Flashable Image go here. These update files are based on that image.
These are recovery-flashable zips for the untouched Jelly Bean image that Nardholio provided.
They are as Samsung provided them with all the crap. I stripped the recovery though since i don't think anybody would want to loose theirs.
If you flash using TWRP (dunno about CWM), it detects that your current system is un-rooted and asks if you want to install SuperSU. If you want root, just let him do it.
I've split the update into three files:
JB stock modem (md5: 932407773cb6e0e5bd133da49ba8a442) as provided by Nardholio. This is just a mirror. Didn't touch that.
JB stock bootloader (md5: 2a980ce6d3f109f56e86b663f03fd761) that came with the update. Seems like it's purely optional. You only need to flash this once (if you want it) as it is usually not overwritten by any updates.
and the actual JB stock image (md5: b70f44d4619391c8f0f4debaa6239fc3)
cache/data wipe is required for the image.
if you just want the bootloader/modem there's no need to wipe.
The Odin image also came with an empty persist partition. None of these updates touches persist as you might want to flash back and have a ROM that relies on those files.
I've tested all the images and they work fine for me. But, certainly, they come without warranty. Flashing things, especially bootloader and modem, always come with the risk of bricking your phone. Be aware of it and don't blame me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you know where to find official Jelly Bean but not the latest one?
I think it was 4.0.4.
I need to test something with bluetooth related (as I am writing in other my post it might be worst in 4.1.2).
Regards
flashed modem and image. couldn't get Wi-Fi to work until i flashed the bootloader though.
froze a couple of times within the first 30min of playing with it, but whatever was causing it seems to have "healed" because it hasn't happened at all today.
much appreciated
Any idea where to get the stock recovery?
Just for completeness.... Both in update.zip form (unsigned):
https://googledrive.com/host/0B-v962-Q8Pd9VWtvN0VrTXlQaTg/JB-stock-recovery.zip
-- Recovery
https://googledrive.com/host/0B-v962-Q8Pd9VWtvN0VrTXlQaTg/JB-stock-system.zip
-- System & Kernel
(This is not the same form as kilr00y posted in the OP... His is a version that's been converted. This is the full filesystem, extracted to the block device. This shows up as official on the downloader. It is not pre-rooted. ... This also differs from an ODIN flashable version of this. Heimdall might be able to flash the resultant image, but this is meant to be flashed through recovery)

[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
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.

Stock Recovery and Cache for enabling OTA after CF Auto Root

These files will restore stock recovery and cache for those who have rooted with CF Auto Root, so that you can return those partitions to factory status for an OTA. Remember that any changes to /system in Lollipop nullifies OTA capability so you also need to undo any changes you've made, restore any bloat, unroot from within SuperSU, etc. For those who used CF and have done minimal mods or changes, this is merely a faster (both in terms of download time and flash time) way of restoring recovery and cache (which are modified when you flash CF Auto Root) than flashing the full stock tar. If you've deleted a whole bunch of bloat, installed Xposed, flashed mods in recovery, etc. then you probably just wanna use the full tar
Flash via Odin PDA/AP slot.
OC9:
OCF:
https://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=24052804347756901
OE2:
https://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=24052804347757697

Is there a way to revert custom ROM to stock and keep the phone rooted?

Also, how can I tell what were the previous versions of Android that my phone had (STOCK)?
For example: there were several 5.1.1 versions or 5.0. versions - how do I know which one do I need?
Thanks.
The easiest way to have a routed rom would be to flash a stock rom from Google, flash twrp, and flash supersu from twrp.
audit13 said:
The easiest way to have a routed rom would be to flash a stock rom from Google, flash twrp, and flash supersu from twrp.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry if I didn't explain myself - my phone is rooted and I have a custom ROM. What I want to do is to go back to stock ROM but keep it rooted.
Thanks.
Flash a stock rom, then just root the stock rom. There is no other way unless you flash a stock pre-rooted rom.
audit13 said:
Flash a stock rom, then just root the stock rom. There is no other way unless you flash a stock pre-rooted rom.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So you can't keep it rooted while flashing stock?
And how do you know which versions are for your phone (if I don't want to go back to the latest Marshmallow for example)?
You can only keep root when flashing stock if you find a prerooted stock image.
Google search for nexus factory images.
audit13 said:
You can only keep root when flashing stock if you find a prerooted stock image.
Google search for nexus factory images.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I know that I need to Google for factory image, but there are several images with the same release. For example, there are three 5.1.1. (LMY48B, LMY48I and LMY48M). Same with 6.0.0. and 4 X 6.0.1 version. How do you know which one is for my device?
Thanks.
Any stock image for hammerhead will work on a hammerhead device. The reason it will delete root is you will have to flash system, and unless the system image you flash is prerooted, no more root.
wangdaning said:
Any stock image for hammerhead will work on a hammerhead device. The reason it will delete root is you will have to flash system, and unless the system image you flash is prerooted, no more root.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks!
Just trying to understand that difference between the different versions, or are these simply system updates, from XXX29K to XXX29S for example?
Changes in the android version 5.0->5.1->6.0 are fairly large system updates. Within 5.1.1 they are security patches.
If you have a rooted phone and talk about flashing, you should know this. Else you are a menace to your phone...
Root is a system modification - if you delete or reinstall the System partition, you'll lose root. But re-root is easy.
I recommend to read tutorials and get some knowledge before trying to root, flash or before asking those questions, where Senior xda-members just shake their heads.
The simple way to do what you seem to want is to back up all your important stuff (photos, etc.), install MMB29V (the latest March 1st 6.0.1 security version), install TWRP 3.0.0.0, and from TWRP flash SuperSU v2.70. It will take slightly longer than it's taken me to type this, but not much...
After that, when a new monthly security version comes out, flash system.img, boot.img & radio.img, and repeat the TWRP & SuperSU steps. No data loss.

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.

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