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Help Have Virgin Mobile F3, "A System Update Is Ready to Install": Questions

larrytxeast

Member
Nov 3, 2011
95
18
I have a Virgin Mobile LG Optimus F3. Today I noticed it was prompting me with respect to a major system update, informing me of the need to have a full battery & use Wi-Fi because it's a large update, etc.

In other words:

"A system update is ready to install. Your Android device will restart and install the update. You won't be able to make any calls, including emergency calls, during installation."

What is this update for? Is it one I want? Is there a way to back up my phone the way it is right now (the current version is 4.1.2 LS720V6), like you would using a "system image" backup using Norton Ghost or Acronis on a PC, so that if I don't like it I can just return it to its current state? (My guess is "no, unless you root it," in which case--okay, what root ROM etc do I want, and can I download a 4.1.2 V6 "stock" ROM?) If I just want to stay where I am, is there a way to have it NEVER AGAIN as in NEVER prompt me for this again unless I have it specifically CHECK for updates?
 
I would, except if it's inferior to the older one, I fear I'd be stuck. I do this sort of thing with computers all day, because I can use Acronis True Home 2010 to easily make a system image of its current state which I can easily revert to later if I need to.

To confirm you have Virgin F3?

Are you rooted?

If not rooted you should be fine to accept the update.

If you are currently rooted then please review following for guidance
http://androidforums.com/showthread.php?p=6645843

If you do not like v7 you can always follow the unbrick method to return to v6.

http://androidforums.com/showthread.php?p=6188079

The catch is your data and setup. Without root not really a way to Ghost your device. (in Android terms create a nandroid backup).
You need root to push a custom recovery which is how you create nandroid.

If not rooted you can accept update. If you decide you want to revert to v6 then you could root. After root you can use app like titanium backup for all user apps and data. Or use custom recovery to create nandroid.

Once you have data backed up use the unbrick guide and v6 bin file to return to v6.

Hope this info helps
 
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Don't do what I did, and get clicky fingers. I clicked on "yes" this morning, my phone rebooted and it had factory reset itself, and of course stupid me apparently had not done any kind of backing up, so now I have spent the day trying to get my phone back to usefulness. *sigh*

Been through that before. Unfortunately the way that I learn most is by fixing my screw ups. ;)
 
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i took the chance and did the update also not rooted. have not noticed anything different besides a little extra storage. not sure what it really did but was a quick update.

Not sure of all the changes. Think some security fixes and radio update. They also added the itson UID.

ItsOn Inc

Not sure the full impact of this addition.
 
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Not sure of all the changes. Think some security fixes and radio update. They also added the itson UID.

ItsOn Inc

Not sure the full impact of this addition.

Just read that ItsOn is what's behind VM's new custom plan feature. One of the three available phones (only from Walmart) is the F3 branded as the Unify.

I just picked up an F3 at Best Buy for 39.99, it'd be nice if I could get a customized plan sometime down the line.

Virgin Launches 'Custom' Service Plans PCMag.com
 
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I did the update yesterday. Didn't take too long, but when it rebooted, it had factory-reset my phone. Now it gets calls and texts but that's it. What's more, is I keep getting the update notification. For funsies, I did it again and it wiped it all over again.

Can't get any data outside of wifi. I got it rooted, any time I try to run any kind of recovery, it wipes the phone, over and over again. Desperately trying to run through this:

Xperion ROM - Android Creations

but either I'm an idiot or it's not working. I can't get it to reboot into recovery.
 
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