Root Want to update my rooted 2.1 to a newer OS level. How?

[labboypro]

I'm still nursing my VZW Incredible along, but I find more and more incompatibilities as the OS gets older (rooted 2.1). Is there a "simple" way for me to patch up the OS to something a little newer so I can pick up compatibility with some apps that are no longer being supported on 2.1? In other words, can I "upgrade" what I've got or do I have to blow it away with a new OS load (which means I'd have to configure everything all over again)? I don't need jellybean or kitkat... just something a little more modern than 4-year old eclair

I am technical, but not up-to-date on mobile OS goings-on, so any hand-holding would be appreciated.

 

[sdrawkcab25]

I'm still nursing my VZW Incredible along, but I find more and more incompatibilities as the OS gets older (rooted 2.1). Is there a "simple" way for me to patch up the OS to something a little newer so I can pick up compatibility with some apps that are no longer being supported on 2.1? In other words, can I "upgrade" what I've got or do I have to blow it away with a new OS load (which means I'd have to configure everything all over again)? I don't need jellybean or kitkat... just something a little more modern than 4-year old eclair

I am technical, but not up-to-date on mobile OS goings-on, so any hand-holding would be appreciated.

if you want to upgrade to any newer OS, you would have to factory reset the device to get it to work properly....gingerbread(2.3) is the last official release for the Inc... but there are mostly stable versions of Ice cream sandwhich(4.0) you can put on.

Upgrading the OS, also means you would have to upgrade your hboot and radios too. And put a more recent custom recovery on the phone. Depending on the route you (can) take to accomplish those things, will determine how easy it is.

*if you are s-off* and have access to a windows pc (not win8)... you could run an RUU, which would update your OS, hboot, and radios all at once...you would then have to root again, which is pretty simple if you are s-off... if you do not have a PC, and are s-off, you could manually install the files relatively easily....

if you are not s-off yet, the road becomes a little trickier...

s-off can be found by looking at your bootloader...power down the phone....press and hold volume DOWN, continue to hold and press and hold power till the phone turns on.

 

[labboypro]

Thanks for the info. It sounds like you're suggesting 2 paths... either un-root, then flash new image, then re-root (which means I'd lose my apps and configuration-specific stuff, correct?), or use something like Odin to do the work. I have Odin (from when I rooted this phone several years ago), so could use that. But I'd need a fair amount of hand-holding

The issues I'm having that prompted me to post the question are specifically--

1) Google Navigate server keeps hanging up on me when I try to get directions. It is sporadic, but I am told (??) that it's because they aren't supporting 2.1 any more.

2) I want to use the Paypal credit card reader... which requires 2.2 and above.

3) Keyringapp (keeps all my membership/reward cards) has a bug in the current version that they have decided not to fix, that is causing me problems every 4th-or 5th use (it hangs while trying to upgrade-- the upgrade isn't compatible with 2.1, but they are unwilling to patch it so it won't try the upgrade any more... which means the app hangs every time the counter says it's time to check for upgrades... usually while I'm in line at the store trying to USE the app

I've gotten old and crusty, and so I really just want what I have to work, rather than go through the trouble and expense of buying a new phone (the spouse has already brought home an S4 as a present... which I promptly returned. Maybe I should have kept it).

Suggestions?

 

[sdrawkcab25]

Thanks for the info. It sounds like you're suggesting 2 paths... either un-root, then flash new image, then re-root (which means I'd lose my apps and configuration-specific stuff, correct?), or use something like Odin to do the work. I have Odin (from when I rooted this phone several years ago), so could use that. But I'd need a fair amount of hand-holding

The issues I'm having that prompted me to post the question are specifically--

1) Google Navigate server keeps hanging up on me when I try to get directions. It is sporadic, but I am told (??) that it's because they aren't supporting 2.1 any more.

2) I want to use the Paypal credit card reader... which requires 2.2 and above.

3) Keyringapp (keeps all my membership/reward cards) has a bug in the current version that they have decided not to fix, that is causing me problems every 4th-or 5th use (it hangs while trying to upgrade-- the upgrade isn't compatible with 2.1, but they are unwilling to patch it so it won't try the upgrade any more... which means the app hangs every time the counter says it's time to check for upgrades... usually while I'm in line at the store trying to USE the app

I've gotten old and crusty, and so I really just want what I have to work, rather than go through the trouble and expense of buying a new phone (the spouse has already brought home an S4 as a present... which I promptly returned. Maybe I should have kept it).

Suggestions?

like i said above, the process is relatively simple if you are s-off... you would definitely have to re set up your phone from scratch though (other than contacts and other things that can be saved to the cloud)...

upgrading would probably solve most of your issues, i would reccomend going to htc's 2.3 version...

ODIN is a samsung program, it would have no use for the htc incredible. Rooting again, [(if you wanted would be done manually) (relatively simple if you are s-off)].

No matter what route that you take, you are going to have to reformat the phone to a factory state...i would back up what you can. Contacts are usually saved to google and are restored immediately when setting up the phone...text messages can be synced/saved using the VZW messaging app. Most other important data (like keyring) is stored with your keyring account, so when you sign in again, the data is restored.


The S4 is a great phone, surprised you returned it

 

[labboypro]

Thanks again. If I have to go through the effort to set up all over again, I might as well do it on a new phone and get better screen, better whatever. As for the S4 I returned, I didn't even take it out of the box. I just wasn't (am not) prepared for the hassle of setting up a new phone (because I'm so darned old and crusty, yet need to have it "like I need it" -- ie, synch software, apps just so, wallpaper, etc.). I realize that sounds lazy... it is

 

[labboypro]

ODIN is a samsung program, it would have no use for the htc incredible.

It's been a long time since I rooted the phone. Perhaps I have ODIN for my rooted Tab 10.1 then.

Now that I think about it, I recall copying an apk file onto the phone, then doing a boot mangler game with the power and volume buttons to do the phone rooting. It was certainly easy enough... but as I mentioned in my previous post, I might as well move to new equipment if I have to start over with my personal configuration.

 

[sdrawkcab25]

It's been a long time since I rooted the phone. Perhaps I have ODIN for my rooted Tab 10.1 then.

Now that I think about it, I recall copying an apk file onto the phone, then doing a boot mangler game with the power and volume buttons to do the phone rooting. It was certainly easy enough... but as I mentioned in my previous post, I might as well move to new equipment if I have to start over with my personal configuration.

yep, rooting the incredible was pretty easy when it came out. Well once, you get your S4 set up the way you like, i'm sure you will like it