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Help is it possible to block ota updates

Palm2droid

Newbie
Jul 16, 2012
23
1
I would like to prevent, block, etc OTA updates to my vzn s4.

I plan to root it, and do not want to lose the root capability. I also do not want changes to other items, particularly google maps.


So on a non rooted phone, can it be blocked? how?
once I have rooted my phone, can it thereafter be blocked? how?

I read some other threads, but it did not look specific to this phone.
 
I would like to prevent, block, etc OTA updates to my vzn s4.

I plan to root it, and do not want to lose the root capability. I also do not want changes to other items, particularly google maps.


So on a non rooted phone, can it be blocked? how?
once I have rooted my phone, can it thereafter be blocked? how?

I read some other threads, but it did not look specific to this phone.

your device needs to be rooted in order for this to work but here are the instructions:

first try : ---> Long press on the notification, select app info, and disable notifications, that should
stop notifications for updates. (dont need root for this one.)

--->OR....Try one of these methods <---

#1: Run the &#8216;Root explorer&#8217; app (or es file explorer)
Mount /system as read/write
Navigate to /system/app/
Delete these: 'fota.client.apk&#8217; and &#8216;fwupgrade.apk&#8217;
You can also delete these &#8216;fotaclient.odex&#8217; and &#8216;fwupgrade.odex&#8217;.
Reboot

#2: Run the &#8216;Root explorer&#8217; app (or es file explorer)
Mount /system as read/write
Navigate to /system/app/
Rename &#8216;wssyncmldm.apk&#8217; to &#8216;wssyncmldm.apk.bak&#8217;
Reboot

Both methods are confirmed to work for the S4. Word of warning though, after a while the notifications might pop back up (unconfirmed), if so just repeat the steps to remove it again.
 
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Thanks for the reply, and pardon the ignorant follow up question:

you state: "first try : ---> Long press on the notification..." which I find where?

if a system update is available a notification may randomly pop-up which is where the long press comes in.

i overlooked a basic option, you can also go under settings>apps and force close the notification that way also. This would work until the device powers off/on and would need to be repeated.
 
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So I did the following...

upon getting that annoying white screen message that there was an update, I did a swipe-down, and on the notification I did a long press, and tapped 'app info'. I tapped 'force close'. and the message disappeared.

But only temporarily... Sometimes it would pop up in 2- 3 minutes, at other times after a few hours. ...?

So after much deliberation and a modicum of trepidation, I rooted my phone -gasp-. It was actually far easier than previous iterations to do so. I used the current method where you run the scripts off of the SdCard. The most annoying part was waiting for the re-formatting to exFat of the card.

Having root, I was surprised that 'disable' was not made an option when I once again tried to disable the update, so I did the following:

I first tried 'Titanium Backup', but "freezing" is not available in the free version. So I used 'App Quarantine' to, well, quarantine "SDM" which is the offending app. So far I have not had to use the more rigorous methods #1 or #2 you described; hopefully will not need them.

Thank you for your help!! :D
 
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Folks it can easily be disabled by going to settings, More, Application manager. Then go to the ALL tab, on the right. Scroll down to "Software Update" which I think is the one you are trying to stop, tap that then hit the Disable button.


DaveSyd,

Perhaps you are referring to your S2? This thread is about the S4. 'Disable' is not an available option, and on the S4 it is 'FWUpgrade'; there is no "Software Update".

One thing Apple has over Android is ONE os, vs 10 million variations...
 
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On my S4 from MetroPCS I have the following listed in Titanium Backup Pro:

FWUpgrade 1.2.0 (/system/app/FWUpgrade.apk and FWUpgrade.odex)
LocalFOTA v2_1305_3_1 (/system/app/LocalFOTA.apk)
Software update v3_1304_2_1 (/system/app/FotaClient.apk and FotaClient.odex)
Software update v6_1304_1_3 (/system/app/SyncmlDM.apk and SyncmlDM.odex)
Wssyncmlnps v42_1304_5_4 (/system/app/wssyncmlnps.apk and wssyncmlnps.odex)


*I have no idea what the last one is but was the closest file to wssyncmldm.apk in KJohns option 2 method
 
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DaveSyd,

Perhaps you are referring to your S2? This thread is about the S4. 'Disable' is not an available option, and on the S4 it is 'FWUpgrade'; there is no "Software Update".

One thing Apple has over Android is ONE os, vs 10 million variations...


Nope on my S4 - it appears your network has not allowed this. I have a unlocked, unbranded version. I have many apps disabled because they annoy me such as "Storybook" a cutsie Samsung app that runs in the background all the time if not disabled. Also have disable Software Update, Google+, MyFiles, Talk (so I don't get the Hangouts update), HP Print Service (I don't have a HP Printer) etc etc.

I need to update my profile :D
 
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