Rooting, OTA updates, and Superuser...questions

[TheCleaner]

OK, so 2 quick questions:

1. I am getting mixed answers...does rooting the phone still allow for OTA updates with the stock ROM? The instructions to root talk say "Enjoy being rooted with a temporary recovery." Does this mean that CWM isn't permanent? All I want to know is if I follow the instructions over on DroidLife will I still be getting the OTA updates? (from here: How to: Root the Galaxy Nexus 4G LTE, Flash a Custom Recovery and Make a Backup [Verizon] – Droid Life)

2. Do I still need the "superuser" app that was with my OG droid?


It's been so long since I've messed with this stuff...it's all new again.

Thanks!

 

[dezymond]

1. you will still be able to receive OTA updates with Stock ROM. As for CWM, there is a guide to make it permanent recovery replacement. Check this thread out: http://www.droidforums.net/forum/galaxy-nexus-roms/188278-rom-android-revolution-hd-lte.html
2. Yes, otherwise those apps that require root won't work.

 

[TheCleaner]

Thanks...so if I'm hearing you right Dezymond, if I follow the instructions but don't make CWM permanent, then the Nexus will be rooted but still able to receive the OTA update. Would the next OTA update unroot the phone?

OR, better asked: For rooted Nexus users, what are our options for getting the latest updates from Google if we choose not to go the custom ROM route.

 

[therock]

To the OP,

I still see an unanswered question here?

How did you come out? Can we do the permanent recovery thing and still receive the OTA's?
Or do we need to leave it a temporary?
Why is there a temp and a permanent version in the 1st place?

Thanks

 

[nateccnn]

Temporary Recovery just means that the recovery system will be restored to the stock recovery that came with the phone the next time you reboot the phone. You will still have root access and superuser and busybox on the phone (assuming you installed those after gaining root access). But installing custom roms will be difficult since you would need to push them through fastboot or adb. RomManager won't work properly. But you will be rooted for all intense and purpose.

The Stock OTA updates will need the stock recovery in order to install them. If you accept that OTA update you will lose root. Not that you can't get it back, of course. It may take developers a day or two after it updates to come up with a method to root. Although I think with the Nexus phones it is relatively simple and fast for them to come up with root methods.

Nate

 

[sbenson]

Thanks...so if I'm hearing you right Dezymond, if I follow the instructions but don't make CWM permanent, then the Nexus will be rooted but still able to receive the OTA update. Would the next OTA update unroot the phone?

OR, better asked: For rooted Nexus users, what are our options for getting the latest updates from Google if we choose not to go the custom ROM route.

Installing CWM, temp or permanent, will have zero affect on receiving official OTA's. No matter what you do, you will still receive the OTA. However, if you flash a custom ROM, you may not receive the OTA unless you flash back to a stock build. There's no reason you should leave it temporary - just lock it in.

Yes, receiving an OTA will most definitely unroot your phone. That's why most people who root and rom, don't accept OTA's. If you wait, someone will package up the OTA into a flashable file that you can flash through clockwork and still be able to retain root.

To answer your last question: For rooted Nexus users, your only option is to accept the OTA and then re-root after it installs. Otherwise, reject the OTA and then flash the OTA once a developer packages it up into a flashable file.

 

[therock]

Installing CWM, temp or permanent, will have zero affect on receiving official OTA's. No matter what you do, you will still receive the OTA. However, if you flash a custom ROM, you may not receive the OTA unless you flash back to a stock build. There's no reason you should leave it temporary - just lock it in.

Yes, receiving an OTA will most definitely unroot your phone. That's why most people who root and rom, don't accept OTA's. If you wait, someone will package up the OTA into a flashable file that you can flash through clockwork and still be able to retain root.

To answer your last question: For rooted Nexus users, your only option is to accept the OTA and then re-root after it installs. Otherwise, reject the OTA and then flash the OTA once a developer packages it up into a flashable file.

Thank You! Very Nice!

• Now for another noober question.
• So I root with no custom ROMs or Kernels. I just wanted to run Apps that require root.
• I allow an OTA and loose root.
  • What will I suffer.
  • Will all be the same but for my apps that required root?
  • What can I expect from a OTA on a rooted device with stock ROM and kernel?

Thanks!

 

[sbenson]

Thank You! Very Nice!

• Now for another noober question.
• So I root with no custom ROMs or Kernels. I just wanted to run Apps that require root.
• I allow an OTA and loose root.
  • What will I suffer.
  • Will all be the same but for my apps that required root?
  • What can I expect from a OTA on a rooted device with stock ROM and kernel?

Thanks!

- What will I suffer? You'll get a nice shiny new update, but you'll lose all root privileges.
- Will all be the same? Everything will be the same or similar, but your root apps will not work. An OTA might wipe your data, so you may have to re-install everything.
- What can I expect from an OTA? Visually - nothing will change. Software wise - anything that Google changed or updated will be different. Most likely, you won't notice much, just performance enhancements (battery life, signal, etc).

 

[therock]

Great!

OK, I manually unlocked with SDK & adb last night before seeing this post. All is well.
Now looking to root I am and glad to be here. I tell you this is the best and most comprehensive post yet. :hail:

So. I speak with a few of my noob nexus owners and we all have the same questions and curiosities and I hope my posts and your answers serve others well in a search. Believe me a Webb search for unlocking and rooting the GN is gruelingly all over the place.
This is why I am numbering my questions so a search by others will be easy to get with eh?


After unlocking and getting wiped I reset my phone up with apps and accounts and such. Yes, I had a backup.

1. Will Root wipe me like the unlock did?
2. During my unlock I did not do the PdaNet thing. I was following instructions from another site = DL. It went well. I have PdaNet on the phone now. I take it I'll not need to put it on the PC now to root?

Thanks.

 

[sbenson]

Great!

OK, I manually unlocked with SDK & adb last night before seeing this post. All is well.
Now looking to root I am and glad to be here. I tell you this is the best and most comprehensive post yet. :hail:

So. I speak with a few of my noob nexus owners and we all have the same questions and curiosities and I hope my posts and your answers serve others well in a search. Believe me a Webb search for unlocking and rooting the GN is gruelingly all over the place.
This is why I am numbering my questions so a search by others will be easy to get with eh?


After unlocking and getting wiped I reset my phone up with apps and accounts and such. Yes, I had a backup.

1. Will Root wipe me like the unlock did?
2. During my unlock I did not do the PdaNet thing. I was following instructions from another site = DL. It went well. I have PdaNet on the phone now. I take it I'll not need to put it on the PC now to root?

Thanks.

1. No.

2. You'll only need pdanet on your computer if you have issues with the drivers. If the current drivers work, and your device is correctly detected when you're in the bootloader, then you're good to go - Superboot away.

 

[therock]

Thanks Guys,

My Root went very well. I did the Droidlife unlock boot-loader thing and got hung up there when I went to root with all the custom recovery stuff. What in the heck is it for? I just cannot get a simple explanation and why choose from a temp permanent version? Ugh!

So I strayed and landed over here and man what a breath of fresh air.

I had to do a battery pull with mine after a 8 minute wait and she came up very fast with the Superuser app.

As a noob I stumbled at the <waiting for device> thing but updating the driver at that point while it was still displayed did the trick.

So here I sit with the deer in the headlights "Now what? :icon_eek: My whole motive is for wireless tether so I'll be doing that soon.

Someone give me the laymans reason for Clockwork mod or the recovery thing. Is it a must have?

Thanks Again.

 

[sbenson]

Thanks Guys,

My Root went very well. I did the Droidlife unlock boot-loader thing and got hung up there when I went to root with all the custom recovery stuff. What in the heck is it for? I just cannot get a simple explanation and why choose from a temp permanent version? Ugh!

So I strayed and landed over here and man what a breath of fresh air.

I had to do a battery pull with mine after a 8 minute wait and she came up very fast with the Superuser app.

As a noob I stumbled at the <waiting for device> thing but updating the driver at that point while it was still displayed did the trick.

So here I sit with the deer in the headlights "Now what? :icon_eek: My whole motive is for wireless tether so I'll be doing that soon.

Someone give me the laymans reason for Clockwork mod or the recovery thing. Is it a must have?

Thanks Again.

Just to be sure, did you verify root?

Mine did not stick the first time. Open superuser and update it. Verify superuser permissions by running an app that requires root permissions.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using DroidForums

 

[therock]

Just to be sure, did you verify root?

Mine did not stick the first time. Open superuser and update it. Verify superuser permissions by running an app that requires root permissions.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using DroidForums

Yes. Ran wifi tether, updated superuser, it's all good.

Thanks

 

[therock]

Installing CWM, temp or permanent, will have zero affect on receiving official OTA's. No matter what you do, you will still receive the OTA. However, if you flash a custom ROM, you may not receive the OTA unless you flash back to a stock build. There's no reason you should leave it temporary - just lock it in.

Yes, receiving an OTA will most definitely unroot your phone. That's why most people who root and rom, don't accept OTA's. If you wait, someone will package up the OTA into a flashable file that you can flash through clockwork and still be able to retain root.

To answer your last question: For rooted Nexus users, your only option is to accept the OTA and then re-root after it installs. Otherwise, reject the OTA and then flash the OTA once a developer packages it up into a flashable file.

Forgive me if I'm a little dense here but I gotta ask. I am rooted and running great. I have updated superuser and ran apps requiring root.

Ihave not flashed CWM. In reading your bottom line in the quote above I ask myself what is the advantage/disadvantage of having/not having CWM on my GN at this point?

Thanks!

 

[sbenson]

Forgive me if I'm a little dense here but I gotta ask. I am rooted and running great. I have updated superuser and ran apps requiring root.

Ihave not flashed CWM. In reading your bottom line in the quote above I ask myself what is the advantage/disadvantage of having/not having CWM on my GN at this point?

Thanks!

The bottom line of that quote was addressing the question about receiving an OTA - nothing to do with CWM. If you accept an OTA, you will lose root and your root apps will no longer work. You will have to re-run the rooting process all over again.

In terms of flashing clockwork recovery, it's just a safety blanket. Flash clockwork, boot into recovery, make a backup. Once you have a backup of your current setup, you can always revert back to it if something goes terribly wrong in the future. Anytime you root your phone, it's a good idea to make a backup of your original setup (just in case). If you never-ever use clockwork again, that's fine - but at least you have piece of mind knowing if you screw something up, you have that backup to fall back on.

If you don't have a backup and really screw something up, then you may be forced to ADB back to stock and start back over from the beginning with unlocking and rooting.

Advantages: ability to flash roms, ability to wipe, wipe battery stats, ability to make backups/restore backups

Disadvantages: none